THE ESSENTIAL 

FACTS OF 
AA\ERICAN 
. HISTORY . 




THE 

ESSENTIAL FACTS 

OF 

AMERICAN HISTORY 



BY 



LAWTON B. EVANS, A.M. 

SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS 
AUGUSTA, GA. 



ov TToW aXXa noXv 



BENJ. H. SANBORN & CO. 

CHICAGO NEW YORK BOSTON 

1914 






Cofvki(;ht, 1909, 1914, 
LAWTON B. EVANS 



Jl/L 2\ 1914 



XortoooO Iprtas 

J. S. Cushiiig Co. — Ji^rwick &. Sniltb Co. 

Norwood, Mass., U.S.A. 



©CI,A37488D 



INTRODUCTION 

This book represents the author's effort to make the his- 
tory of our country interesting to school children, and there- 
fore easily learned and long remembered. The child has 
been kept in mind at every stage of the writing, for by the 
test of his ability to understand and his interest to learn will 
the usefulness of the book be measured. 

The text, therefore, touches the history of the United 
States in its great epochs only. The author confesses, be- 
fore his critics accuse, that many facts and figures have 
been omitted as unnecessary to the story of our national 
establishment. Those incidents that were not influential in 
the development of our country should be reserved for a 
larger text and a more mature inquiry. Herein the child 
need not be bewildered by that multiplicity of detail that 
often has perplexed his mind and confused his memory. 

The author has purposely avoided an encyclopedic gath- 
ering of historical facts loosely connected by chronological 
sequence. Instead he has chosen a topical treatment of 
the great facts of our history, hoping that he may place an 
emphasis upon those things a child should know and can 
remember. To that end the chapters are in themselves 
units, and each represents some significant idea of value. 
That the author has made each chapter short and the treat- 
ment terse should commend itself to those who have to do 
with the daily routine of the schoolroom. 

Since men are as important as measures, a number of 
chapters have been devoted to certain epochal characters 



iv Introduction 

of whom a child should know much. It is better to know 
a few great men and a few great measures thoroughly than 
to surfeit the mind with multitudinous details. 

We have passed the time when history should be written 
or taught from sectional pride or prejudice. Our country is 
too great and our traditions too noble for the youth to be 
reared with any motive except that of making them citizens 
of the entire country, proud of the deeds of their fathers, 
and forgetful of all past differences. The author has tried 
to be fair in all his statements, knowing that the child is far 
removed from prejudice and that his future relations will 
demand a generous and sympathetic feeling for all people 
from all parts of our country. 

With grateful acknowledgments to the many friends whose 
advice has guided him in the preparation of this book, and 
with an earnest hope that those who study these pages may 
find in them an abiding respect for the great men of the 
past and a deep inspiration for their own conduct in the 
future, the author submits the text to the indulgent consid- 
eration of that noble profession of which he has been a 

member for many years. 

LAWTON B. EVANS. 

Al'GUSIA, Ga. 



LIST OF BOOKS 

The teacher will find the following inexpensive books suitable for sup- 
plementary reading and for expanding the condensed story of the text. 
Explorers and Founders of America. (Foote and Skinner.) The Amer- 
ican Book Co. The story of the Norsemen ; Columbus ; the Spanish 
and French Explorers ; the English and Dutch Settlers ; Bacon ; 
Braddock; Wolfe. 
American Indians. (Frederick Starr ) D. C Heath & Co. (leneral 
facts about the life, customs, manners, and traditions of the Indians; 
their division into tribes and the peculiarity of each. 
The Making of Virginia and the Middle Colonies. (Drake.) Chas. 
Scribner's Sons. The Story of the English in Virginia; the English 
in Maryland; the great Iroquois League; the Dutch on Manhattan; 
the Settlement of Delaware. 
The Making of New England. (Drake.) Chas. Scribner's Sons. The 
story of the exploring and settling of New England ; the Pilgrfms ; 
the Puritans; Colonies of Maine, New Hampshire, Connecticut, 
Rhode Island. 

The Making of the Great West. (Drake.) Chas. Scribner's Sons. 
The story of Joliet and Marquette ; La Salle ; Louisiana Purchase ; 
Lewis and Clark; the Oregon Trail; Gold in California; later history 
of the West. 

The Conquest of the Old Northwest. (Baldwin.) The American Book 
Co. The country around the Great Lakes ; George Washington and 
Braddock ; George Rogers Clark ; subduing the wilderness. 

Colonial Children. (Hart.) The Macmillan Company. A story of the 
home life of the people in colonial times. 

When America was New. (Jenks.) Thos. Y. Crowell & Co. The 
manners and customs, indoor life, books, education, women and 
children, and the growth of the people. A general survev of the 
colonial conditions. 

Stories of American History. (Dodge.) Lothrop, Lee & Shepard. 
Mainly stories of the Revolution ; Boston Tea Party ; Lexington ; 
Bunker Hill; Surrender of Burgoyne ; Andrd ; Paul Jones ; Laurens, 
etc. 



vi List of Books 

Noble Deeds of our Fathers. (Watson.) Lothrop, Lee & Shepard. 
Stories of the Revohition ; Hrandywine ; (ieneral Wayne ; German- 
town ; General Prescott ; Massacre of Wyoming, etc. 

Camps and Firesides of the Revolution. (Hart.) The Macmillan Com- 
pany. Home Life ; highways and byways : the Indians; French and 
Indian wars; preparing for the Revolution; Revolutionary firesides; 
in camp ; in the field. 

Children's Stories of American Progress. (Wright.) Chas. Scribner's 
Sons. The Barbary Pirates ; Louisiana Purcha.se ; Lewis and Clark ; 
the Steamboat : tlie Railroad ; the Telegraph ; the Mexican War. 

Makers of American History. (Chandler and Chitwood.) Silver, Bur- 
dett & Co. A .series of thirty-six interestihg biographies covering 
the entire jieriod of American history. 

Romance of the Civil War. (Hart.) The Macmillan Company. Plan- 
tation life; the condition of the slaves; in and out the army; boy 
soldiers and .sailors ; in camp and on the march ; on deck ; women 
and the war. 

The teacher will find the following books helpful in his own preparation 
for teaching American History. 

Special Method in History. (McMurry.) The Macmillan Company. 
Source Book of American History. (Hart.) The Macmillan Company. 
A Book of American Explorers. (Higginson.) Longmans, Green & Co. 
Epochs of American History. (3 vols.) Longmans, Green & Co. 
Home Life in Colonial Days. (Earle.) The Macmillan Company. 
Four Great American Series. American Book Company. 
Pioneer History Stories. (McMurry.) The Macmillan Company. 
Poetry of the People. (Gayk'v and Flaherty.) Ginn and Company. 
MacCoun's Historical Geography of the United States. Silver. Hurdett 
&Co. 

The more extensive writings of Fiske, Parkman. Schouler, McMaster, 
Bancroft, and Rid|Dath are recommended to those who desire an exhaus- 
tive study of the history of our country. 



TABLE OF CONTENTS 



PERIOD OF EXPLORATION 

Lesson Page 

1. Four Hundred Years Ago 1 

2. The Coming of the Norsemen ....... 4 

3. The Story of Columbus 7 

4. The Voyages of Columbus 11 

5. Finding and Naming the Continent 15 

6. Finding the Pacific . 18 

7. The Indians 21' 

8. More about the Indians 26 



PERIOD OF SETTLEMENT 



9. The Spaniards Settle Florida . 

10. The French Settle Canada 

11. The Story of a Lost Colony 

12. The English Settle Virginia 

13. Captain John Smith 

14. More about Jamestown . 

15. Affairs in Virginia 

16. The Pilgrims in New England . 

17. Captain Miles Standish 

18. The Puritans and John Winthrop 

19. Other New England Colonies . 

20. Henry Hudson .... 

21. The Dutch Settle New \'nRK 

22. The Founding of Maryland 

23. The Settlement of New Jersey an 

24. The Quakers and William Penn 

25. The Settlement of Pennsylvania 

26. The Settlement ok the Carolinas 

27. More about the Carolinas . 

28. The Settlement of Georgia 

29. The Original Thirteen Colonies 

vii 



OF Delaware 



29 
33 
38 
41 
44 
48 
52 
55 
61 
65 
68 
73 
77 
82 
85 
88 
91 
94 
96 
99 
103 



Vlll 



Table of Contents 



PERIOD OF F.STARIJSHMENT 
Lesson 

30. PRonRF.ss OF Virginia . 

31. iNniAN Nf.ighbor.s .... 

32. Indian Wars in Nf.w England . 

33. Thf, Tyranny of Andros 

34. The French Explore the Mississippi 

35. The Voyage of La Sai.i.e 

36. The Frentm in America 

37. French and English Quarrels . 

38. The Young George Washington 

39. The French and Indian War 

40. The Fall of Quebec 

41. The Homes of the Colonists 

42. Occupations, Dress, Sports . 

43. Laws, Travel, Customs . 

44. Sunday, F-ducation, Schools 

45. Servants and Slaves in the Colonies 



PERIOD OF REVOI 



46. 

47. 
48. 
49. 
50. 
51. 
52. 
53. 
54. 
55. 
56. 
57. 
58. 
59. 
60. 



Causes of the Revolution . 

First Acts of Resistance 

The Fir.st Battle of the Revolutk 

The Battle of Bunker Hill 

The Progress of the War . 

The Declaration of Independence 

The British Enter New York . 

The Battles of Trenton and Princeton 

.Surrender of Burgoyne 

The War in the South 

The War in the South (continued) 

The Surrender of Cornwali.ls . 

Benjamin Franklin 

John Paul Jones .... 

How THE Northwest Territory was Saved for the I 



UTION 



Pace 
108 
112 
115 
123 
126 
129 
132 
1.35 
140 
144 
149 
153 
157 
161 
166 
171 





174 




178 




183 




187 




190 




195 




199 




203 




206 




210 


T Arnold 


215 




219 




225 




230 


OR THE Union 


233 



PERIOD OF DEVELOPMENT 

61. The Critical Ti.me 

62. The Constitution of the United States . 

63. George Washington, President . . . . 

64. Eli Whitney and the Cotton Gin 



241 
245 
250 
255 



Table of Contents 



IX 



Lesson 

65. Trouble with FRAwrE . 

66. Thomas Jefferson .... 

67. War with Tripom 

68. The Louisiana Furphase 

69. Robert Fulton and the Steamboat 

70. Trouble with England 

71. The War ok 1812 Begun . 

72. War of 1812 (continued) 

73. War of 1812 (concluded) 

74. The Era ok Good Feeling . 

75. The Missouri Compromise . 

76. The Monroe Doctrine. 

77. Internal Improvements 

78. The Growth ok the Country . 

79. The Movement Westward . 



Page 
258 
261 
265 
268 
271 
274 
278 
283 
288 
292 
296 
300 
303 
307 
311 



PERIOD OF DIVERGENCE 



80. Andrew Jackson .... 

81. The Policy of Andrew Jackson 

82. Tariff Disputes and the Hayne-Webster Debate 

83. A Crisis with South Carolina 

84. Van Buren, Harrison, and Tyler 

85. Improvements and Inventions .... 

86. Acquisition of Territory — War with Mexico 

87. Opening the New Territory 

88. The Question of Slavery . 

89. Disputes about Slavery 

90. The Struggle for Kansas . 

91. The War Clouds Gather . 



314 
318 
323 
327 
331 
335 
338 
344 
348 
351 
354 
357 



PERIOD OF DISUNION 

92. The .Southern .States vSecede 

93. Abraham Lincoln 

94. Jefferson Davis .... 

95. The Bombardment of Fort Sumter, 

96. The First Battle of Manassas. 

97. War in the West 

98. Events on the Sea 

99. The Virginia and the Monitor 
100. The Peninsular Campaign . 



362 
366 
370 
373 
377 
380 
385 
390 
394 



Table of Contents 



Lesson Page 

101. vStonewall Jackson 397 

102. Robert E. Lee in Command of the Southern Army . . 400 

103. Progress of the War 403 

104. The Battle of Gettysburg 409 

105. The Fall of Vicksburg 413 

106. Ulysses S. Grant in Command of the Northern Army . 416 

107. Sherman's Campaign 420 

108. Grant and Lee in Virginia 422 

109. The End of the War 426 

110. Hardship and Heroism 430 



PERIOD OF REUNION 



111. Plans for Recon.struction . 

112. A Crisis with the President 

113. Conditions in the South after thk 

114. President U. S. Grant 

115. Presidents Hayes and Garfield 

116. Presidents Arthur and Cleveland 

117. Presidents Harrlson and Cleveland 

118. McKinley and the War \vith Spain 

119. War vv^ith Spain (continued) 

120. Insular and Foreign Affairs 

121. Gre.\t American Enterprises 

122. Great American Inventions 

123. Growth of the West . 

124. Industries of the West 

125. Growth of the South 

126. Industries of the South 

127. Recent Political Events 

128. American Literature . 

129. American Literature and Art 

130. Our Country . . 

Search Questions .... 
Historical Recreations 
Presidents and Vice Presidents 
Important Dates .... 
List of States .... 
Declaration of Independence . 
con.siitution of the united states 



War 



434 
437 
440 
444 
447 
450 
455 
457 
461 
464 
467 
470 
473 
477 
481 
484 
486 
492 
494 
498 

505 
507 
508 
509 
510 
511 
515 



LIST OF MAPS 



The Known World Four Hundred Years Ago 

Voyage of Columbus .... 

Powhatan's Country .... 

Settlements in New England Colonies 

Historic Waterways ..... 

Territory before the French and Indian War {colored) 

Territory after the French and Indian War {colored) 

War Territory in the Eastern and Middle States {colored) 

War Territory in the South {colored) 

Land Claims in 1783 {colored) .... 

United States at the Close of the Revolution {colored) 

Territorial Growth of the United States {colored) 

Free and Slave State Territory indicating Confederacy, 1861 {colored 

Territory Involved in the Civil War {colored) .... 



PACK 

2 
II 

49 
69 

74 
152 
152 
208 
218 
224 
238 
342 
) 362 
• 384 



The Essential Facts of American 

History 



PERIOD OF EXPLORATION 



LESSON 1 
FOUR HUNDRED YEARS AGO 

Everybody nowadays knows that the world is round. Four 
hundred years ago most people thought the world was flat, 
and the ocean extended into terrible regions beyond the land. 

In those days the known world consisted of Europe, and 
parts of Asia and Africa. The great country in which we 
live, and all the lands on this side of the Atlantic Ocean, were 
quite unknown. The people had no correct idea of what was 
beyond the seas that shut them in on all sides. 

There were no great steamships then as there are now. 
The sailing vessels were small, and sailors were afraid to go 
far from shore. They had heard dreadful stories 
of great monsters and sea serpents that lived in ^^^^ 
the ocean. They were afraid of the terrible 
storms which might overtake them if they went too far into 
the sea of darkness. 

It is true that a few wise men believed that the world only 
appeared to the eye to be flat, and that in fact it was really 
round. The people generally could not be persuaded that 
this was so. They asked how a ship that sailed down one 
side of the ocean could ever sail up again, and how people 
could live on the other side of the earth with heads down- 
ward. Of course we understand how foolish such questions 



2 American History 

were, but it was hard to make anybody believe them foolish 

in those days. 

The people traded a great deal with India. Ships sailed 

from Europe through the Mediterranean Sea to Constanti- 
nople and Cairo (Kl'ro), where the bazaars 
displayed the products of the East. Great 
caravans of camels carrying heavy burdens crossed 

the desert from India to trade with European merchants. 



Trade with 
India 




Four hundred years ago the known world consisted of Europe and 
parts of Asia and Africa 

In this way fine silks, spices, ivory, gold, silver, and jewelry 
were brought from the far East into Europe. The mer- 
chants from India came to Cairo, Constantinople, and other 
cities, traded their wares, and told the European merchants 
marvelous tales of their rich country, of palaces paved with 
gold, and cities crowded with people, of forests laden with 
spices, and gardens rich with perfume. 

Then the European merchants were filled with a great 
desire to find their own wav to India and to those wonder- 



Four Hundred Years Ago 3 

ful cities of the far East. Especially did they desire this 
since the Turks had begun to attack the caravans and had 
almost stopped their crossing the deserts, and pirates were 
threatening sailing vessels in the Mediterranean Sea. 

The easiest way, of course, was to sail around Africa. In 
order to do this the ships would have to cross the equator, 
and everybody was afraid of the " burning 
tropics " where it was thought to be so hot that the^aV^ '^ 
the very seas were boiling. Besides, Africa 
might extend to the end of the world. Nobody knew how 
far the land extended, and seamen were afraid to find out. 

A few learned men, desiring to help the merchants and 
to discover the distant shores of Asia, thought that a better 
way would be to sail around the world. If it were true that 
the world was round, one could reach the East by sailing west, 
if he were brave and sailed far enough. 

They did not know what a long time it would take to saii 
around the big earth. They did not know what lands were i i 
the way. They thought that Asia was only a few thousan I 
miles across the dreaded seas. Some of their beliefs wero 
right and some were wrong, as we shall see farther on. 

Marco Polo, the Prince of Travelers. About the year 1272 Marco 
Polo, a young Venetian, went with his father travehng to China and other 
countries of the far East. Here they were royally received and enter- 
tained for a long time. Marco and his father stayed in China for about 
twenty-five years. When they started home they were loaded with the 
most costly presents. The party traveled as beggars, however, for fear 
of robbers. On their arrival at Venice they invited their friends and 
relatives to a banquet. During the feast the seeming beggars threw aside 
their rags and put on the most costly garments. They ripped open 
the cast-off clothing and drew forth quantities of diamonds, rubies, and 
other precious stones. They told marvelous stories of the countries 
they had visited, and the riches to be found in those distant lands. Marco 
Polo afterwards became a prisoner of war, and while in prison wrote the 
story of his travels. He was called the prince of travelers. 



4 American History 

Questions. What did the people think four hundred years ago 
about the shape of the earth ? Of what did the known world then con- 
sist? Of what were the sailors afraid? What did a few wise men 
think? What questions did the people ask? How was trade carried 
on with India at that time? What stories were told of the riches of the 
East? How did this affect the merchants? What was the easiest way 
to India? Why were the sailors afraid of the voyage around Africa? 
What did a few learned men think was a better way to India? How far 
did they think it was around the world ? 

Written Work. Write an account of what one of the Eastern mer- 
chants told a European trader about the riches of India. 



LESSON 2 
THE COMING OF THE NORSEMEN 

Long before any attempts were made to cross the Atlantic 
Ocean, the people who lived in Norway, Sweden, and Den- 
mark had become daring and skillful sailors. They were 
called Northmen, or Norsemen, because they lived in the 
northern part of Europe. Their ships were long, carrying 
oars and sails, and having carved images on the bow. 

They sailed to Iceland and settled there, and afterwards 
sailed as far as Greenland. On the southwestern coast of 
Greenland, near Cape Farewell, these bold seamen founded 
a colony which lasted five hundred years, some ruins of 
which may be seen at the present day. 

Soon after the Greenland colony was founded, one of the 
Norse leaders named Leif (Lif) sailed westward with one 
ship and thirty-five men to see what he could find. Some 
sailors who had been blown off their course had told him 
there was land in that direction. 

After many days' sailing he came to land somewhere in a 



The Coming of the Norsemen 5 

strange country which he called Vinland or Vineland on 
account of the delicious grapes which grew 

^ ^ ^ Vinland 

there in abundance. We do not know where 
Vinland was or what shores the brave Norsemen saw, but 
we suppose they landed somewhere in Labrador, and then 
continued their voyage down the coast. 

When they went back to the colony in Greenland they 




The Norsemen land in Labrador about the /i 



K.IUO 



told strange stories of the fruits and timber they had found, 
and the wild people they had seen on those distant shores. 
The stories were written out afterwards, and are kept to 
this day. It is from them that we know of these early visitors 
to our country. 

For a number of years ships went back and forth from 
Greenland to the new country. The sailors carried home 
fruit and timber, and told many stories of the wild natives 
they had seen. 

All attempts of the Norsemen to found a colony in these 



6 American History 

strange lands failed. The natives were not friendly. They 

slew some of the settlers, and made so much 
Norsemen tr()ul)le that the Norsemen gave up the effort 

to establish a colony. Their ships ceased to go 
back and forth, all records of their houses were destroyed, and 
the wild men of the West were left undisturbed by the 
wanderers from across the sea. 

After all, we know very little of what the Norsemen did 
or what they saw in America. They may have come as far 

south as Rhode Island or Connecticut, but they 
Saas" ^^^^ '^^ houses or monuments to mark their 

paths. ^ Their story is told in their old writings 
called the " Norse Sagas," from which we learn what kind 
of men they were, and we wonder where on our coasts their 
rude ships dropped anchor and what land their brave sailors 
explored. 

Collateral Reading. " The Skeleton in Armor," by Longfellow. 
" Norse Stories," by Hamilton Mabie. 

Questions. Who were the Norsemen? Describe their ships. What 
island did they reach ? What colony did they found ? What voyage did 
Leif undertake? What land did he find, what name did he give it, 
and why? What land do we suppose this to be? What stories did the 
Norsemen tell on their return ? What troubles did the Norse have ? Did 
they found a colony? Have they left any records? What are the 
"Sagas"? 

Written Work. Write the account that Leif gave of his explora- 
tions along the shores of the strange country. 

Describe any adventures with the Indians which you think he and 
his men may have had that discouraged them from founding a colony. 

1 There is at Newport, Rhode Island, an old stone tower which for a long 
time was supposed to be the remains of a monument built by the Norsemen. 
It is now known to be the ruin of a stone windmill built by Governor Arnold 
of Rhode Island, in 1675. 



The Story of Columbus 7 

LESSON 3 
THE STORY OF COLUMBUS 

About the year 1446 there was born in the city of Genoa 
Gen'o a) in Italy a boy named Christopher Columbus. His 
lather was a poor man, but he gave his son as good an edu- 
cation as the schools of that day afforded. 

The boy was fond of adventure as well as of study. When 
he was fourteen years of age, he became a sailor. For many 
years he sailed on all the seas and to many of the ports then 
known to the world, and learned all about the management 
and care of ships. 

Everybody at that time was talking about a seaway to 
India. It was thought by many that a route to India could 
be found by saihng around the south of Africa. 
Columbus was thinking of a different route, jndia^^^^ 
He believed that the world was round, and he 
resolved some day to reach India by sailing westward. 

When Columbus had passed middle life, he was tall, well- 
formed, muscular, with fair complexion, gray eyes, and white 
hair. He had thought much about the shape of the earth, 
and was sure that he could sail around it if only he could 
get ships to go in and men to go with him. 

Columbus was too poor to make the voyage at his own 
expense. He went to the king of Portugal and unfolded 
his plans. The king was much impressed by the arguments 
he used and by the maps and charts he showed. 

He called a council of his wise men and laid the matter 
before them. The wise men, however, were not wise enough. 
They laughed at Columbus and called his plans foolish. 

One of them privately suggested to the king that he send a 
ship secretly the way Columbus proposed, to see whether 



American History 




Columbus and his son in ttieir wanderings come to a convent 



The Story of Columbus 9 

what he said was true. If it was, then all the glory and all 
the riches would belong to the king and need not be divided 
with Columbus. The king was weak enough to adopt this 
suggestion, and the ship was sent out. The sailors, however, 
went only a short distance and came back to report that there 
was no land to be found. When Columbus heard of this 
treachery, he was very indignant. 

For several years he wandered about, talking of his great 
plans. He went to Spain and tried to get Ferdinand and 
Isabella, the king and queen of that country, 
to listen to him. They gave him a hearing, but ^'gn^g"'^^^^ 
said that they were engaged in warfare and had 
no funds with which to attempt such a vain thing as trying 
to sail around the world. 

Columbus was so discouraged that he took his little son 
Diego (Dea'go), and set out again on his wanderings. One 
day he came to a convent near the town of Palos (Pa'los), 
and begged for a drink of water for his son, who was very tired 
and thirsty. The good monk asked him to rest awhile. 
As they talked Columbus told him about his plan for sailing 
to Asia. 

The monk was greatly interested. He told Columbus to 
wait while he sent for a friend and for some merchants in 
the town to come and hear about it. When they came, 
Columbus told them all about saihng across the great ocean, 
about the gold and jewels and great cities, and the heathen 
people to be converted. 

The monk was so much impressed that he sent a special 
messenger to Ferdinand and Isabella, urging Ferdinand and 
upon them the grandeur of the plans of Colum- isabeUa 
bus, and begging them not to let the glory of so great a voyage 
be lost to Spain, 



lo American History 

After a long time and many disappointments Columbus 

was again given a hearing before the court and the wise 

men. He explained his plans and showed his 

Isabella charts. He was ridiculed by many of the learned 

agrees to help , i i n • • i i i • i 

Columbus men, but he boldly mamtained that his plans were 
feasible. At last the queen was satisfied and 
agreed to help the bold adventurer with her own money and 
jewels if it was necessary. She ordered everything made ready 
for the voyage. 

Thus after more than ten years of wandering and waiting, 
when Columbus was probably fifty-six years old, he found 
the reward of his faith and patience. Cheered by the help 
of a queen who believed in him, he undertook the most famous 
voyage the world has ever known. 

Columbus and the Egg. A story is told that one day Columbus was 
at dinner with a number of distinguished people, and they all agreed 
that it was a wonderful thing for him to think about sailing across the 
ocean. Columbus said nothing, but took up an egg and asked them to 
stand it on end. Everybody tried, but nobody succeeded. When it 
came back to Columbus he cracked the shell and stood the egg up with- 
out difficulty. " Oh, anybody could do that, if he only thought of it ! " 
the company exclaimed. " Yes, but I thought of it," said Columbus. 

Questions. When and where was Columbus born? How did he 
pass his early life? Of what was everybody talking at the time"" 
What did Columbus believe? Describe his appearance. To whom d' 
he go and unfold his plans? How was he treated? What trick did the 
king play on him? To whom did he next apply? Describe what 
happened at the convent. How did the monk treat him? Who finally 
agreed to help Columbus in his voyage? How old was Columbus at 
the time? Tell the story of Columbus and the egg. 

Written Work. Write the story that Columbus told the monk. 
Write the letter that the monk sent to his friends. Write the story of 
Columbus and the egg. 



The Voyages of Columbus 1 1 

LESSON 4 
THE VOYAGES OF COLUMBUS 

Columbus sailed from the port of Palos, Spain, August 3d, 
1492. He had three vessels, — the Santa Maria (Mare'a), 
:n which was Columbus himself, the Pinta (Peen'ta) 




Columbus sails from Spain in 1492 and lands on the Island of 
San Salvador 

and the Nina (Nen'ya). On board the three vessels were 
ninety persons. On the day the ships sailed, the dock was 
crowded with sorrowing friends and relatives, who saw the 
ships depart with little hope of ever seeing them again. 

On the third day out the Pinta broke her rudder, which 
made it necessary to sail to the Canary Islands, where three 



I 2 American History 

weeks passed in repairing the damage. The vessels then 
turned into the open and unknown sea. 

Columbus was sailing by a chart which he obtained from 
an Itahan named Toscanelli. He thought he was saihng 
directly for Japan and India, which he supposed were only 
about three thousand miles away. He was not trying to 
discover a new world. 

The sailors were greatly alarmed at what they thought 
was ahead of them. They believed they were go- 
th ^ ^jf'^™ ° ing straight to destruction. Columbus did all he 
could to dispel their fears. He kept two reckon- 
ings of the distance traveled, one to show the sailors, which 
was much less than the real distance, and an accurate one for 
his own use. 

After several weeks they caught sight of a flock of birds, 
and, from this, thought they must surely be near land. This 
cheered the sailors for a while, but no land appearing they 
grew more and more afraid. They wanted to turn back 
and give up the foolish enterprise. But Columbus was 
calm and steady in his purpose, and kept straight on his 
course. 

Days passed ; the weather was delightful, the wind favor- 
able, and the sea calm. Birds flew about the ship ; green 
seaweed floated by, and the air was sweet and fragrant. At 
last almost sure signs of land appeared, and everybody was 
greatly excited. 

On the last night out not a soul slept. Columbus stood 

on deck and about ten o'clock saw a light in the distance 

and called attention to it. At two o'clock in the 

^ ^' morning a gun from the Pinta announced that 

land was surely in sight. Joyfully the ships 

dropped anchor to wait for the coming of the day. 



The Voyages of Columbus i 3 

On Friday, Oct. 12th, 1492, Columbus and his men first 
saw the New World. When the day dawned, they saw 
before them a beautiful island, covered with trees. A strange 
people were seen running out of the woods and crowding down 
to the shore. 

Columbus went ashore with some of his crew, and fell on 
his knees in prayer and thanksgiving. Rising, he drew his 
sword, displayed the banner of Spain, and solemnly took 
possession of the land in the name of the king. He called 
the land San Salvador. It was one of the small islands in the 
group of the Bahamas. 

Thus Columbus, after more than two months on the ocean, 
came to the shores of America, in spite of the doubt of wise 
men, the fears of his friends, and the mutterings of the sailors 
who went with him. 

Columbus visited Haiti (Ha'ti) and Cuba, and several 
other islands. He was astonished at the curious people he 
saw, whom he called Indians, thinking he was 
on the coast of India. He was delighted with otherls^iands 
the flowers, the birds, the fruits, and the fish 
found in abundance. The natives were friendly, and ex- 
changed pieces of gold for beads and bits of cloth. 

After nearly three months Columbus sailed back to Spain, 
taking with him some Indians, birds, plants, gold, and other 
things he found in the New World. He returned a hero. 
Everywhere people crowded around him to welcome him, to 
kiss his hand, and to see the strange things he had brought 
from across the sea. Thus does the world admire the man 
who succeeds. 

The king and queen received him at court, where he 
described his voyage and discoveries. He rode by the side 
of the royal pair and was given the title of Don. Everybody 



14 American History 

hastened to do honor to the great man, and man}- offered 

their services to go to the New World. 

Three other voyages were made by Columbus to the New 

World. On the second voyage he founded a colony on the 
island of Haiti. On the third voyage he dis- 
covered the island of Trinidad on the coast of 

voyages 

South America. On the fourth voyage he reached 
the coast of Central America. He was firm in the belief 
that he had found some part of Asia. 

Many Spaniards went with him on these voyages, seeking 
gold and jewels and the treasures of the East. But these 
adventurers would not work ; they treated the Indians with 
great cruelty, found little gold, were taken sick with fever, 
and complained loudly of their treatment by Columbus. 

The enemies of Columbus poisoned the minds of the king 
and queen against him. While on his third voyage some one 

was sent to inquire into the complaints of the 
Columbus ° colonists. The officers put him in chains, which 

made him very indignant. He said he would 
wear them as a memento of the gratitude of princes, and he 
wished them to be buried with him. When he reached 
Spain his chains were taken off. At length the good Isabella 
died, leaving him without a friend. Poor and neglected, he 
lived as best he could by borrowing from his friends. He 
died in Valladolid, Spain. ^ 



' Columbus was buried first at Valladolid. Seven years afterwards his bod}' 
was removed to a monastery in Sexillc. Twenty-three years after that it was 
again removed to the Cathedral of the city of Santo Domingo on the island of 
Haiti. In 1796 his remains were taken with ^reat pomp and ceremony to 
the city of Ha\'ana and buried in the Cathedral at that place. After the war 
between the United States and Spain in 1898, his body was taken back to 
Spain and now rests in Sc\illc. 



Finding and Naming the Continent 15 

To the very last he did not know he had discovered a new 
world, but died in the belief that he had found a new way to 
India. 

Collateral Reading. " Columbus," by Joaquin Miller. 

Questions. When and from where did Columbus sail? Name the 
vessels. How many persons were aboard? Describe the departure. 
What happened to the Pinta? By what chart was Columbus sailing? 
What did he think? What alarmed the sailors? What reckoning 
did Columbus keep ? What happened after several weeks ? What 
happened the last night out ? When was land discovered ? What did 
Columbus do? What name did he give the land? What land was it? 

What other islands did he visit ? What people did he see ? What name 
did he give them, and why? Describe his return to Spain. How was 
he treated ? How many voyages did he make ? What did he discover on 
his third voyage? How did the king and queen treat him? How did 
he spend his old age? When did he die? In what belief? 

Written Work. Imagine yourself one of the sailors on board the 
vessel of Columbus, and write a description of the voyage. Imagine 
yourself an Indian, and write your impressions of the visits of the white 
men. 

LESSON 5 
FINDING AND NAMING THE CONTINENT 

The news of the discoveries of Columbus spread to all 
lands. Every nation that had ships on the seas was eager 
to imitate Spain. 

About a year before Columbus made his third voyage, the 
Idng of England sent out an Italian sailor 

, , , , • 1 John Cabot 

named John Cabot, who saded westward m the 

spring of 1497. He also was seeking a new route to India 

to secure the spice trade for England. 

He found what he was not looking for. After sailing 
many weeks he came to land, the mainland of our continent, 



i6 



American History 



4. 



somewhere in the neighborhood of Cape Breton Island, at 
the entrance of the Gulf of St. Lawrence. He took posses- 
sion of the land in the name 
of the king of England. 

In this way the mainland 
of North America was dis- 
covered. 

The next year John Cabot 
and his son, Sebastian Cabot, 
explored the coast of North 
America all the 
way from Nova 
Scotia to North 
Carolina. The 
king was delighted 
with the accounts 
the Cabots brought 
home of the ice- 
bergs and polar 
bears they had seen 
on the northern 
shores, and of the 
wonderful fruits 
and forests of the southern coasts. Upon the explorations 
made by the Cabots, England laid claim to all the main- 
land of North America. 

A few years after the Cabots sailed along the shores of 
North America, a navigator named Americus Vespucius 
(Ves pu'shus) was exploring the coasts of South 
America. When he went back to Europe he gave 
accounts of the strange customs of the people he 
had seen. He said the Indians wore no clothes, had a reddish 




John Cabot in 1497 comes to the mainland of North 
America amid the icebergs at the entrance of the 
Gulf of St. Lawrence. 



Americus 
Vespucius 



Finding and Naming the Continent 17 



skin, and were of medium size. They were good swimmers 
and runners. They did not sleep in beds, but in hammocks 
among the trees. 

He also boldly announced that the land which he had found 
was not India nor Asia, but was a new continent. Few 
people believed this to be true until Vespucius had made 
other voyages to various parts of 
South America, going as far down 
as Brazil, making charts of the 
coast, and bringing home descrip- 
tions of the birds and plants and 
many other things he had seen. 

He told so many things to prove 
that this new land could not be 
a part of the Old World, that at 
last everybody beHeved what he 
said was true, and that a new con- 
tinent had really been added to the 
knowledge of men.^ 

Other maps were then drawn showing the new conti- 
nent lying between Europe and Asia, across the Atlantic 
Ocean. Thereupon the geographers divided the world into 
four parts. Europe was one part, Asia was another, Africa 
was another, and the newly discovered country was the 
fourth part. 

When the maps were made, this fourth part was named 

^ Vespucius was a great talker as well as writer. He boasted much of 
his travels, and people listened eagerly to his wonderful descriptions. While 
Columbus merely reported to the king and queen what he was doing, Vespucius 
was writing accounts of his voyages and claiming great credit for his exploits. 
In one of his letters he wrote: "I have found a continent more thickly inhab- 
ited by people and animals than are Europe, Asia, and Africa. It might 
properly be called a new world." 




Ships of the sixteenth 
century 



I 8 American History 

America, in honor of Americus, who first declared it was a 
new world. 

That was the way America received its name. 

Questions. Who was John Cabot? When and for whom did he 
sail? What was he looking for? What did he find? Where was the 
land? In whose name did he talce possession? Who was Sebastiai. 
Cabot? What land did he explore? What accounts did he brinj^, 
home? What claim did England make, because of these voyages? 

What was Americus Vespucius doing at this time ? What accounts did 
he give of his explorations? What announcement did he make? How 
did he prove his assertions? How was the world then divided? What 
name was given the fourth part? For whom, then, is America named? 

"Written Work. Write a letter from Sebastian Cabot to the king, 
describing his adventures along the coast of North America. Write the 
story of the adventures of .\mericus Vespucius. 



LESSON 6 
FINDING THE PACIFIC 

By this time many explorers had come to the shores of 
America, and explored much of the coast. All the world now 
recognized that a new continent had been discovered, but 
what it was like or what was on the other side of it nobody as 
yet had any correct idea. 

About ten years after Vespucius had made his last voyar 
to South America, a bold Spaniard named Balboa was wreck 
in a storm off the coast of Darien. He ai 

Balboa i • r n 

his followers secured a quantity of gold from tl t 
Indians, and while they were quarreling over the division, an 
old chief was so disgusted that he struck the scales with his 
fist and told them if they would travel west over the tall 
mountains, they would find a great sea, and streams whose 
banks and beds were lined with gold. 



Finding the Pacific 



^9 



If there was one thing the Spaniards did want, it was gold. 
They all came to search for it, but very few found it. 

Balboa and his men traveled through forests and across 
streams until they came to a range of high mountains. When 
they neared the summit. Balboa was delighted to catch sight 
of the great ocean on the other side of the new continent. 
He marched down to the shore and took possession of the 




Balboa crosses the /sthmus of Dar/'en and discovers the 
Pacific Ocean in 1513 



ocean and all its islands in the name of the king of Si)ain. 
He found no gold, but he did find a great sea. 

In this way Balboa discovered the Pacific Ocean in 1513, 
being the first European to set his eyes upon its vast sur- 
face. However, Balboa did not know he had discovered a 
great ocean. He called it the South Sea. 

Ferdinand Magellan (Ma jel'lan) undertook to explore the 
coasts of South America which Vespucius had visited, to 
fmd out what was at the end of the great 1)0(1\' of land, to 



20 American History 

go around it, and, if possible, to sail around the world. 
It was a bold adventure. 

Magellan started from Spain with five ships and nearly 
three hundred men, determined to go around the world or 
die in the attempt. 

After losing one ship in a storm, and spending weary 
weeks along the rocky coast, the voyagers came to the straits 
that are now called Magellan, in honor of the 
Ma Tua"^ ° explorer. After five weeks' sailing they found 
themselves on the broad bosom of a great ocean. 
Its calm waters dehghted Magellan so much that he named 
the ocean Pacific, which means peaceful. 

Magellan with his four remaining vessels sailed westward, 
not knowing how far he would have to go, nor what he would 
find, but knowing that he was on his way to Asia, and around 
the world. It was a long, distressing voyage. Food gave out, 
the water became foul, the sun bhstered the decks, and many 
of the sailors died, but Magellan refused to go back. 

At length they reached the Philippine Islands, which the 
Spaniards claimed for the king of Spain. Here the brave 
Magellan was killed in a fight with the natives, who pierced 
him through with spears and arrows. His followers then 
resumed their voyage.^ 



1 Sixty years after Magellan had made his voyage, Francis Drake, an 
Englishman, made the same passage along the coast of Brazil, through the 
Straits of Magellan, and along the western shores of South America. He 
was a pirate as well as a voyager, and took rich toll of the Spanish ships when- 
ever he met them. He entered the harbor of San Francisco, where the 
Indians worshiped him and his men as gods. He then crossed the Pacific 
Ocean, and returned to England, being the first Englishman to sail around 
the world. He afterwards became a famous admiral in the service of Queen 
Elizabeth, and defeated the Spanish in the great wars between England and 
Spain. 



The Indians 11 

Three other ships were lost or abandoned, and but one 
completed the voyage across the Pacific, around Africa, and 
back to Spain. Of all the five ships and three hundred men, 
only one small vessel and eighteen men returned after a 
voyage of three years. This was from 15 19 to 1522. 

Questions. Where was Balboa wrecked ? Why did he travel into the 
interior ? What did he find ? When was the Pacific Ocean discovered ? 
What did Magellan undertake to do? How many ships did he have? 
Through what straits did he pass? What did he name the ocean he 
reached, and why ? What misfortune overtook him ? What great islands 
did he discover ? What was the fate of Magellan ? How many ships and 
men completed the voyage around the world? When was this? 

Written Work. Write an account of how Balboa discovered the 
Pacific Ocean. Write an account of how Magellan passed around South 
America. 



LESSON 7 
THE INDIANS 

It is time for us to learn something about the people the 
explorers found in America, whom Columbus called Indians, 
and who are still called by that name. 

It is not at all certain where they came from, when they 
came, or how they ever reached these shores. We can 
only suppose that, at some past time, a few 
people from Asia may have crossed Behring the^indfans*' 
Strait and wandered southward, or that some 
adventurous ships may have been blown across the Pacific 
Ocean. In some such way the Indians of America may 
have originated. At best it is only a guess. 

The Indians had skin of a reddish-brown or copper color. 
Most of them were tall, well made, erect, muscular, and 
capable of great endurance. The eyes of the Indians were 



2 2 American History 

small and black. Their (.hcck-bones were high and prom- 
inent. Their hair was coarse, black, and straight. The 
women wore their hair long, but the men cut 
^^^ theirs short, except a tuft on the top which was 

appearance ^ '^ 

called the " scalp lock." The scalp lock was left 
for an enemy to grip if he could get it, and by means of it 
to pull off the scalp as a trophy of battle. 

The Indians were not inclined to talk much, but were 
reserved and dignified, not apt to provoke a quarrel, but 
revengeful and treacherous when aroused. 

They wore but little clothing when the weather was warm. 

In winter they sometimes had clothes of soft deerskin. Often 

these skins were braided with quills, and colored 

Their clothing . o -n i x i- i ^ c i • 

With paint. Still the Indian boasted of not being 
cold, even in severe weather. When asked why he did not 
wear more clothes, he would point to the exposed face of the 
white man and say that the Indian was face all over. 

On his feet he wore soft skin shoes called " moccasins," 
which were very comfortable. It is said that the Indian 
moccasin is the most comfortable as well as the warmest 
covering for the feet that is known. 

The women did all the hard work. They had to plant 

corn and tobacco. They made the deerskin clothes. They 

kindled the lire by rubbing two sticks together. 

The women 

ihey took down the tents, moved the household 
goods, and carried the babies or " papooses " in a pack on 
their backs. 

While the women were at work, the men sat by the fire 
and smoked, made arrow heads and .spear points out of 
pieces of flint, or made bows and spears out of the strong 
wood from the forest. 

There were onlv a few hundred thousand Indians in all. 



The Indians 23 

They lived in various tribes all ox'er the eontinent of North 
America. 

The Algonquin tribes lived alon<i; the Atlantic coast from 
Nova Scotia to Virginia. It was mainly the Algonquin 
Indians that the hrst settlers met. The Iro- 

• 1 • 1 r 1 • 1 • ^^^ tribes 

quois hved for the most part m what is now the 

State of Nev/ York. The Cherokees, Creeks, and Natchez 

Hved in the south and along the Gulf of Mexico. The Aztecs 

in Mexico were the most advanced of all the tribes and had 

developed a fair degree of ci\'ilization.' 

The Indians generally lived in small villages. Their 

houses or huts, which they called wigwams, were made of 

the bark of trees, with a covering of grass, or were 

mere tents covered with skins. A lire was 

wigwams 

built on the ground in the center of the wigwam, 
over which the sc^uaws cooked the food, and the smoke was left 
to escape through a hole at the top. A bed of grass or skins 
was made in a corner for the family to sleep on. They never 
thought of keeping anything clean, so there was always plenty 
of dirt and smoke and foul odors. 

The Indians were skilled in many things. They knew 
how to make a kind of rude pottery of clay, which they 
colored according to the traditions of their various tribes. 

' The Pueblo tribes lived in Arizona and New Mexico, and were so called 
because they Uved in pueblos. Their houses were built of sun-dried bricks 
and were often very large. These Indians made a fine kind of pottery, wove 
blankets, planted crops, and were a better class of Indians than those along the 
Atlantic seaboard. 

Throughout the ^lississippi valley may be found many mounds of earth, 
sometimes shaped like serpents or animals. These Indian mounds arc sup- 
posed to be burial places, sites for temples or memorials of \-ictor3-. They 
are very curious and interesting. When opened, these mounds are often 
found to contain Indian relics, such as sj^ear heads, pottery, and bones. 



24 



American History 



In this they cooked their food, carried water to drink, and 
kept tobacco. They knew how to weave grass into mats, 
and later on learned to make warm blankets for the winter. 

The Indian was skilled in woodcraft. He knew the habits 
of all the animals and birds he used for food. He knew 




The Indians generally lived in small villages 



how to stalk the deer, to trap the beaver, to catch the fox, and 
to net the wild fowl. He could find his way through the 
densest forests by examining the trees. He could follow 
the path of a wild animal or of a foe when the white man 
could see nothing. He could hear the approach of an enemy 
or of game when all was silence to the white man's ears. 

In fact, the Indian was a simple child of the woods, know- 
ing by experience all the secrets of the forest and streams, 
fond of sports of all sorts, but not fond of hard work or of 
living long in one place. He had no ambition except to 



The Indians 25 

supply his daily wants, he knew no law except his own will 
or the word of his chief, and desired nothing except to be 
left alone. 

The Indian Who Knew How to See. An Indian had some dried 
deer meat hanging in a tree before his wigwam. He was gone for several 
days, and when he returned the meat was missing. He looked all around, 
and then after a while asked a white man: " Did you see a little, old, 
white man, with a short gun? He had a httle dog with a stump tail. 
He has stolen my meat." ^ 

" Yes, I saw him," was the answer, " but how did you know it was a 
white man? " 

" White man turns toes out ; Indian walks with foot straight in front 
of him." 

'' But how do you know he was little and old? " 

" He piled stones so that he could reach the meat. He took short 
steps." 

" But how do you know his gun is short? " 

" He put gun against the tree. I saw the scratch on the bark." 

"But how about the dog? " 

" Dog sit in sand. He left mark of his tail. He make short tracks. 
Indian can see with both eyes." 

Questions. Where do we suppose the Indians came from ? Describe 
the appearance of the Indians. What was the '" scalp lock "? What 
was their clothing? What were "moccasins"? What work did the 
women do? What would the men do while the women worked? How 
many Indians were there in America? How did they live? Describe 
the " wigwams." In what were the Indians skilled? Tell some of the 
things the Indian could do. 

Written Work. Write a description of how you would dress, the 
house you would live in, the food you would eat, and the things you 
would know how to make if you were an Indian. Illustrate your story 
by drawing a wigwam. 



26 American History 

LESSON 8 
MORE ABOUT THE INDIANS 

The Indians were often in a state of warfare. The man} 
tribes of Indians — and there were dozens of them — wer 
constantly at war with one anotlier. When the white settlers 
began to establish homes in America, the Indian wars wer. 
frequent and often disastrous. 

The weapons of the Indians were bows and arrows, won- 
derfully made, with which they could shoot as straight and 
effectively as with a gun. It is said an Indian could send 
an arrow through a buffalo, and that with the animal in full 
flight. They also used the tomahawk, a hatchet made of stone, 
with which they dealt terrible blows in close conflict. 

Before going to war, the Indians colored their faces with 
war paint, dressed themselves with bonnets, in which eagle 
feathers were stuck, and in leather trousers 
warfare curiously embroidered and painted. They gave 

a great dance around a big lire in the village, 
beating their rude drums, dancing wildly, throwing their toma- 
hawks, and boasting of what they w^re going to do. The 
dance often lasted all night, and was meant to please the spirit 
that could help them in war. 

When the time came to march, however, they were as still 
as panthers. They crept in single file through the forests, 
each man stepping in the footprints of the one in front of 
him, nc\er making a sound nor cracking a twig. Their 
instinct guided them through the woods. They never lost 
their way. Silently they approached the place of attack, 
and before their enemies were aware of their presence, they 
raised the terrible war whoop, and burst upon the foe with 
tomahawk and firebrand. 



More about the Indians 27 

Their fallen foes were scalped, and the scalp locks hung as 
trophies to the belt of the victor. Their prisoners were 
sometimes made slaves, sometimes adopted into the tribe, 
but often were cruelly tortured to death. A captured Indian 
never showed any fear. He never begged for mercy, nor 
uttered any cry, even when being burned alive. His greatest 
glory was to die at the stake with a smile upon his face and 
taunting words upon his lips. 

The Indians had a vague notion of a Great Spirit which 
they worshiped as a being all-powerful and all-wise. Their 
notion of heaven was a happy hunting ground Indian 
where brave warriors who had killed many religion 
enemies would go to hunt and fish forever. When an 
Indian died, his dog, his bow and arrows, and anything he 
needed in the chase, were buried with him. 

Many treaties were made by the white men with the 
Indians from time to time. These treaties were often signed 
in a curious way, as with a belt made of shell 
beads called " wampum " showing two figures 
clasping hands. Wampum was also used for money. Often 
these treaties were sacredly observed. 

The Indian taught the white man many things. He taught 
him how to raise corn. He also showed him how to kill 
trees by girdling them and so making a sunny field 

^V^hfl^ til f* 

for the grain to ripen in. He taught him the use of Indians 
the tomato and of the potato, and how to raise and taught the 
smoke tobacco. From the Indians we first learned 
of the turkey, and of such things as cocoa and mahogany, 
and of many plants used for medicine. 

It has taken the white men many generations to drive the 
Indians away from their hunting grounds. Little by little 
their lands have been bought. They have been pushed farther 



28 American History 

and farther west. The tribes are now kept on lands called 
" reservations," and are not allowed to leave them without 
permission. 

As a race they have never been fully civilized, though 
many live in houses and cultivate the fields as white men do. 
Even these sadly tell to their children the story of the times 
when their ancestors roamed wild and free over the whole 
land. 

Collateral Reading. Selections from " Hiawatha " by Longfellow. 

Note. The story of Hiawatha is excellent for schoolroom or woodland 
dramatization. It carries the pupils fully into the spirit of Indian life, 
and teaches them many of the interesting legends of the savage tribes. 

Questions. What did the Indians love ? What were their weapons ? 
How did they prepare for war? Describe the war dance. How did 
they act on the war path ? How did they treat their fallen foes ? How 
did they treat their prisoners? Describe the conduct of a captured 
Indian. What notion did the Indians have of a god? What was their 
notion of heaven? How were treaties signed? What did the Indian 
teach the white man? What else did we learn first from the Indians? 
What has become of the Indians? What can you say of them at the 
present day? 

Written Work. Write a description of an Indian war dance, the 
preparation for an attack on a neighboring tribe, the march, the battle, 
and what happened to the prisoners. 



PERIOD OF SETTLEMENT 



LESSON 9 
THE SPANIARDS SETTLE FLORIDA 

The Spaniards who came over with Columbus settled in 
Cuba, Porto Rico, and other islands of the West Indies, 
holding their possessions in spite of many difficulties. Every 
now and then some explorer bolder than the others would 
venture to the mainland to see what he could find, but the 
deep swamps, dense forests, and the savages kept him from 
going far into the continent. 

On the island of Porto Rico lived the old governor named 
Ponce de Leon (Pon'tha da La on'). There were two things 
he greatly desired ; one was to be young and 

IT 1 r XX 1 1 1 1 r Ponce de Leon 

the other was to be famous. He had heard from 
the Indians that on a neighboring island there was a foun- 
tain in which if one bathed, old age and white hairs would 
fall away and youth and black, locks would come in their 
stead. He was then about fifty-three years of age. 

Straightway the foolish and superstitious old man sailed 
west in search of the fountain of youth. On Easter Sun- 
day, 1513, he came in sight of land, beautiful land, with 
flowers blooming, and woods bright with birds and sweet 
with perfume of ordnge flowers. He called the land Florida,^ 
and it is so called at the present day. 

* Florida may have been named from the beautiful flowers and foliage 
that de Leon saw, but it is more likely that it took its name from pascua 
florida, which in Latin, the language of the Spanish church, means Easter 
Sunday. 

29 



30 



American History 



For nearly a year Ponce tie I.eon wandered up and down 
looking for the fountain. In 1521 he again came to Florida, 

this time to establish 
a colony. He found 
many savage Indians. 
In a battle with them 
he was wounded with 
an arrow. He was 
taken to Cuba, where 
he died of his wounds. 

He was the first 
Spaniard that ever 
traveled inland on the 
territory now a part 
of the United States. 

About twenty-five 
years after the nam- 
ing of Florida, the 
governor of Cuba, 
Hernando de Soto, 
resolved to try his for- 
tune in this strange 
land. Like all the rest 
he also wanted gold. 
Six hundred men joined 




Ponce de Leon names Florida in 1513 and then 
explores it in search of the fountain of youth 



him. 



Hernando 
de Soto 



They landed at Tampa Bay on the west coast of 
Florida, and traveled north. The country was 
full of swamps and thickets. Many of the Span- 
iards were ill with fever, all suffered for food, 
and many were exhausted by the hard marches. 

De Soto and his men crossed what is now Georgia, Ala- 
bama, and Mississippi. They robbed the Indians of their 



The Spaniards Settle Florida 



31 



food, made slaves of them, and compelled them to carry 
provisions for use on the march. At one place de Soto 
took captive an Indian princess and compelled her to accom- 
pany him several hundred miles. Still he found no gold, 
nor silver, nor precious stones. 




De Soto having discovered tfie Mississippi in 1541 dies upon its banks 
one year after, and is buried in its stream 

After many weary weeks, the Spaniards came to a great 
river. They asked the Indians the name of the noble stream, 
and the reply was " Mississippi," which means Father of 
Waters. De Soto and his followers were probably the first 
white men to gaze upon this lordly current. They had reached 
a spot near the present city of Memphis. 

Crossing the river the Spaniards hunted for gold in the 
territory that is now the States of Missouri and Arkansas, 



32 American History 

but were disappointed as usual. De Soto returned to the 
Mississippi, and was seized with a fever. His followers laid 
him on a cot under a tree, where he died (1542). His body 
was taken by night to the middle of the great river, weighted 
with stones, and sunk to the bottom. Into the keeping of the 
mighty stream was given the body of the explorer who in all 
probability was the first white man to gaze upon its waters. 

Other Spanish explorers had adventures in America, some 
landing along the coast, others going far into the interior, 
some going into Mexico and others penetrating into the far 
west.^ As the years passed the land gradually became known 
to the Spaniards. In 1565, St. Augustine in Florida was 
settled. It is the oldest town in the United States, and 

still preserves many of the original narrow 
settied^^ *°® streets. Twenty years after that Santa Fe (Fay) 

in the far west was founded. 

Questions. Where did the Spaniards who came over with Columbus 
settle? What kept them from explorations into the Continent? Who 
was Ponce de Leon? What did he desire? What had he heard of? 
What did he go in search of ? When did he reach the mainland? What 
name did he give it? What became of Ponce de Leon? 

Who was Hernando de Soto ? Where did he land ? How did his men 
suffer ? Across what land did they march ? What adventures did they 
have? What river did de Soto discover? What became of de Soto? 
When was St. Augustine founded? When was Santa Fe founded? 

Written Work. Describe the search of Ponce de Leon for the 
fountain of youth. Describe the burial of de Soto. 

^ The Spaniards had settled themselves in Mexico and were making ex- 
plorations into the west. At the time that de Soto was on his march, 
Coronado set out from Mexico to find the Seven Cities of Cibola, which were 
supposed to contain vast riches in gold and jewels. He may have traveled 
as far north as Kansas or Nebraska, but he found only Indians and a fertile 
country. 



The French Settle Canada 33 

LESSON 10 
THE FRENCH SETTLE CANADA 

When John Cabot returned from his voyage along the 
coast of North America, he told wonderful stories of the fish 
he had seen, saying they were in such quantities that the ships 
could hardly get along for them. The French heard of 
this, and their fishing vessels soon started for the banks of 
Newfoundland. 

The French explorers led by Verrazano (Ver ra tsa'no), 
an ItaHan in the service of France, sailed along 
the coast, from North Carolina to Newfoundland, 
probably entering New York Bay and Narragansett Bay. 

Jacques Cartier (Zhak Car tya'), a Frenchman, sailed 
up a broad river, which he named the St. Lawrence, seeking 
for a place to plant a colony. The river grew so narrow and 
the sailors suffered so much for food, that, after seeing a 
mountain which he named Montreal, he gave up the attempt. 
Several years later he planted a colony in Canada, but it was 
not successful. 

The French were much interested in the great fur trade and 
fisheries of the northwest. Samuel de Champlain 
(Sham plan'), a French soldier, sailed along the rh™"^i -^ 
shores of New England, explored the harbors, 
and made maps of the coast line. Many of the names tKat 
he gave to places along the coast have been retained to the 
present day. In 1608 he sailed up the St. Lawrence River 
and founded the town of Quebec. 

He pushed his journeys far up the river, into the Great 
Lakes themselves, and was the first white man to visit that 
beautiful sheet of water that is called Lake Champlain, in 
honor of its discoverer. He crossed Lake Huron and Lake 



34 



American History 




Chainplain sails up the St. Lawrence River in 1608 and selects a site 
for the City of Quebec 



The French Settle Canada 



35 



Ontario, and in spite of many hardships penetrated deep into 
the heart of the northern woods. 

The colony at Quebec had a hard struggle for life. The 
first winter was a terrible one. Snow and ice covered the 
rude cabins, food was almost exhausted, and 
nearly every one was sick. Of the twenty-eight 
who formed the colony, all died but eight. Others came the 
next year, however, and Champlain did all he could to keep 
up the spirits and hope of the people. 



Quebec 



(- •jK_j^' 




1 


^ 


^"^SHr 


^ ■" t 


1 


^i^ 


\ 




f ' 




, ^ 


^Vv 





The first winter at Quebec was a hard one 



The friendly Algonquins and Hurons asked Champlain to 
join them in their war against the Iroquois. The Indians 
had never seen white men before, and believed they possessed 
very wonderful powers. They thought their armor could 
not be pierced by arrows, and their guns were objects of great 
mystery. 



36 American History 

Champlain agreed to join the war party. A great war 
The Iroquois ^ance was held in Quebec. The boats then went 
become up the river, and afterwards the men went 

enemies overland until they came near the village of 

their enemies. The Iroquois were ready to receive them. 

Champlain and his few soldiers were in front, and dis- 
played their polished armor and white skins. Their loud 
guns blazed forth, bringing down an Indian at each shot. 
The Iroquois, though in large numbers, were so astonished 
at these heavenly warriors whom no arrows could pierce, 
and who hurled hghtning and thunder with such deadly aim, 
that they fled in terror, leaving everything behind. 

The victory was complete. Fear did more damage than 
the guns. The Iroquois henceforth were the fiercest enemies 
of the white men in the north. 

Champlain Hved in Quebec for many years. The town 
struggled on, after twenty years having no more than one 
hundred and five persons in all. However, it has grown into a 
great city. Its foundation established the French people in 
Canada, and gave a distinct French tone to much of the 
northeastern part of America. 

The Spaniards had occupied the southern part, the French 
the northern part, and now we shall see that the English 
came and took possession of all that lay between. 

The Huguenot Settlement. The French had built a fort on the St. 
John's River in Florida. The Spanish king sent Pedro Menendez (]Ma- 
nen' deth), an officer in the royal navy, to break up the fort. The Span- 
iards came upon the French fort unexpectedly and murdered one hundred 
and fifty men. Another company of French explorers, who were away at 
the time of the attack, surrendered on their return. These the Spanish 
commander hanged to trees, and nailed a sign over their dead bodies, " I 
do this not as to Frenchmen, but as to Lutherans." 

Shortly afterwards a Frenchman named Dominique de Gourgues 



The French Settle Canada 



37 



determined to avenge his countrymen. He fitted out a fleet of vessels 
and sailed for Florida. When he reached the St. John's River he attacked 
the Spaniards so vigorously that in a short time nearly all were killed. 




The French hang the Spaniards in retaliation for their cruelty. 

The rest were hanged to trees, and over their dead bodies De Gourgues 
nailed a sign, " I do this not unto Spaniards, but unto traitors, robbers, 
and murderers." 

Questions. What stories had Cabot told of the fish he had seen? 
What did Verrazano do ? What name did he give the country ? What 
river did Cartier explore and name? What mountain did he name? 
What explorations did Champlain make? What places did he visit? 
What town did he found? Where did he journey? What lake did he 
discover? What hardships did the colony of Quebec suffer? What 
Indian war did Champlain undertake ? Describe how the Iroquois were 
defeated. What can you say of the efifect of the founding of Quebec? 

Written Work, Write an account of the adventures of Champlain. 



38 American History 

LESSON 11 
THE STORY OF A LOST COLONY 

Before we see how the EngHsh succeeded in planting a 
colony in America, let us learn the sad story of a colony 
that was lost in the wilds of the new world. 

Sir Walter Raleigh was one of the favorite courtiers of 
Queen Elizabeth of England. One of his plans was to" estab- 
lish a colony in America. He secured the patent 
Raleigh ^^ *^^ right from the queen to make a settlement 
somewhere in her domains. He sent ships to 
explore the shores and look for a place to found a colony. 
The sailors brought back glowing accounts of the richness and 
the beauty of the country. In honor of Ehzabeth, who was 
a virgin, or unmarried, queen, the whole country from Canada 
to Florida was named Virginia. 

Plans were at once made to send over colonists. Raleigh 

himself did not go, but he sent one hundred 

colony persons, with Ralph Lane as governor, who in 

1585 made a settlement on Roanoke Island, on 

the coast of the present State of North CaroUna. 

The colonists, however, were not willing to work. They 
were idle and lazy, and would rather wander about looking 
for gold and silver than raise corn and vegetables for food. 
They came near starving, and would have done so if Sir 
Francis Drake, who had been fighting the Spaniards in the 
West Indies, had not come along to see how they were pros- 
pering. 

He found the settlers in such a bad condition, and so home- 
sick for their native land, that he took them back to England 
with him. 

These colonists, however, brought home some valuable 



The Story of a Lost Colony 29 

information to the people of England. They explained 
the use of Indian corn, and how it was ground into meal and 
made into bread. They also brought home the potato, 
which Raleigh planted on one of his farms in Ireland. The 
potato grew so well and was so good for food that it has 
since been called the Irish potato, and is now the main article 
of food of the people of Ireland. 

The greatest interest was taken in the tobacco which the 
colonists brought back. The courtiers, and even the queen, 
were persuaded to smoke. Sir Walter himself learned to 
smoke, and liked tobacco very much. As he sat in his room 
one day, smoking his pipe, his servant entered with a pitcher 
of ale, which he emptied on Sir Walter's head, thinking he was 
on fire. 

Raleigh sent out other colonists in 1587 with John White 
as governor. They also settled at Roanoke, and set to 
work to rebuild the houses left by the other colony 
two years before. Governor White's daughter, ^^^^^^^ ^^^^^ 
Mrs. Dare, was one of the company. Soon 
after they landed, a little girl was born to her, who was named 
Virginia Dare. She was the first white child born of English 
parents in what is now the United States. Governor White 
stayed a Httle while, saw the colony well started, and then 
went back to England to get new supplies. 

It was three years before Governor White returned. A 
war between England and Spain had been going on, and 
nobody had time to think about a poor little 
colony in America. When the war was over, ^^^^^y 
Governor White set out to find his colonists, but 
not a trace of them could be found. The houses were aban- 
doned, and the fields were overgrown, but no signs of massacre 
or violence were seen. The colonists had disappeared, and 



4© American History 

to this day no man knows what became of them. For this 
reason the colony is known as the lost colony. 

It had been agreed that if the colonists left the town for 
any reason they should leave on a tree or door-post some 
directions so that they could be followed. Governor White 
found carved on a tree the word Croatan, which was the 
name of an island near by where friendly Indians lived. He 




A few huts and the word " Croatan " carved on a tree were all that could 
be found of the lost colony 

tried to reach the island, but a storm drove him away, and he 
had to return to England. 

Other efforts were made to find the lost colony, but no 
one ever found a single person. Perhaps the colonists were 
killed by the Indians, perhaps lost in the woods. Rumors 
came that some were killed and others carried away as captives. 
All we know is that they vanished entirely, every one of 
them, and among them was the little girl whose eyes first 
opened on the beautiful land around the coast of North 
Carolina. 



The English Settle Virginia 41 

Sir Walter Raleigh and Queen Elizabeth. When Raleigh was a 
young man he was in a crowd watching Queen Elizabeth and her attend- 
ants go by. The path in front of the queen was muddy and she hesi- 
tated to go forward, fearing to soil her shoes. Raleigh, who was near 
the queen, quickly threw his cloak on the ground over the muddy places. 
The queen smiled and stepped on the cloak. She sent for the young 
man and offered to pay for the garment, but Raleigh gallantly replied, 
" I desire only to be allowed to retain the cloak. It has become very 
precious since your Majesty's feet have touched it." This incident 
attached him to her service and he became a rich and powerful nobleman. 

Questions. Who was Sir Walter Raleigh? What was one of his 
plans? How did Virginia get its name? Where was the first colony 
made by Raleigh ? What happened to this colony? What information 
did the colonists bring back to England? What can you say of the 
potato? Of tobacco? Tell the story of Raleigh and his servant. 
When did Raleigh send out another colony? Who was the first Eng- 
lish child born in America? What became of this colony? 

Written Work. Imagine yourself one of the colonists returned 
to England and write an account of what you saw in the new world. 



LESSON 12 
THE ENGLISH SETTLE VIRGINIA 

After Raleigh's colony failed, it was a number of years be- 
fore the EngHsh again tried to make a settlement in America. 
The Spaniards had estabhshed themselves in the South, and 
the French were planting colonies along the St. Lawrence, 
but the English still hesitated about making settlements on 
the land they claimed. 

Fishing vessels plied back and forth between the new 
world and the old. Cargoes of furs were bought Trade with the 
from the Indian traders and hunters. Rich °^^ ^'"''^ 
woods, dyestuffs, and valuable plants used for medicine, were 
brought from the shores of America. 



42 American History 

All this trade induced the EngUsh merchants to form 

companies for colonizing the territory claimed by the Crown. 

Two companies were formed, and all the land 

English divided between them. One of these companies 

companies '■ 

was called The London Company and the other 
The Plymouth Company. 

One cold day in December, 1606, three small ships sailed 
from England, with one hundred and five persons on board, 
bound for the new world. The orders for the government of 
the colony were put into a box and sealed, not to be opened 
until the ships reached America. 

It took these ships six weeks to get out of sight of Eng- 
land, on account of the bad weather and the smallness of the 
vessels. They sailed by the way of the Canary Islands and 
the West Indies to avoid the heavy cold seas of the winter 
time. 

After a four months' voyage the colonists came to shores 
they did not recognize. A storm drove them into the mouth 
of a large river, up which they sailed. They 
^'^America wcre greatly charmed with the appearance 
of the country. It was now early spring, the 
birds were singing in the trees, flowers were beginning to 
bloom, the forests were green, and the land looked very wel- 
come after the tedious ocean voyage. The river they named 
the James River, after James the First, then king of Eng- 
land. 

On the 13th day of May, 1607, the colonists landed forty 

miles from the mouth of the river, at a place 

Jamestown ° which seemed suitable for a town. Here the 

first permanent English colony in America was 

established, and called Jamestown. 

Every man set to work. Trees were cut down, tents were 



The English Settle Virginia 43 

pitched, a fort was built, and spaces cleared for gardens. 
Trouble, however, came on the colonists thick and fast. The 
food supply, as usual, had been eaten too freely. 
Soon it was nearly all gone, and there was not J^^^^^p^ ^^ 

^ " the colonists 

time to raise a crop. The Indians were showing 

hostihty. In fact, they attacked the town while the men 

were at work, killing seventeen men and one boy. 

The water was impure and gave the colonists fever. The 
heat of the climate soon became so intense thr.t the men 
refused to work on their houses or on their little farms. The 
tents became rotten and torn. The colonists, like most of the 
others who had come over, were idle and liftle in- 
clined to hard work. The result was that during Suffering and 
the first summer fifty of them died, some of sick- ment 
ness, some by the hands of the Indians, and some 
for want of sufficient food. The prospect was discouraging. 
Everybody was in despair and anxious to return to England. 

Questions. What did the English hesitate to do ? What can you say 
of the fishing vessels? What cargoes were brought from America? 
What did this trade induce the EngHsh merchants to form? What 
were the names of the two companies? What can you say of the depar- 
ture of three small ships in December, 1606? How many persons were 
on, board? What can you say of the voyage? What river did they 
ascend? When and where was the first permanent English settlement 
made in America? What trouble did the colonists have? Describe 
some of their sufferings. 

Written "Work. Write a letter from one of the first settlers at 
Jamestown describing the settlement and the hardships of the first year. 



44 American History 

LESSON 13 
CAPTAIN JOHN SMITH 

The settlement at Jamestown owed so much to Captain 
Smith that it is worth our while to learn more about this 
remarkable man. He was born in England, and in early 
life was fond of adventure. He became a sailor and soldier. 
He fought in the wars against the Turks. He was captured 
and sold as a slave, but after killing his master escaped to 
Russia and thence back to England. He was about thirty 
years of age at this time, and was dehghted to join the colo- 
nists that were st'arting for Virginia. 

When Smith took charge of the colony he compelled every 
man to work. " Those who do not work shall not eat," 
were his orders, and the lazy ones had to labor 
takesTha^e ^^^ Starve. He drilled the garrison, strengthened 
the fort, mapped out the country, sent letters to 
England for supplies, and received new colonists as they 
came over. 

He was a high-tempered man, getting into many quarrels 

and having many marvelous adventures, accounts of which he 

wrote in a book. It- is not certain that we can 

His character . .... 

believe all he wrote about himself, but it is true 
that he was a brave man, who more than once saved the 
colony from destrtiction. He was full of courage, and not 
afraid to go alone against the Indians, and was so persuasive 
that he often induced them to sell corn to save the lives of 
the starving white men. 

In one of his trips into the Indian country, he left his 
His adven- men to guard the sail boat, and with two white 
tures jpgj^ ^j^(^ Qj^g Indian guide he went in a canoe 

to explore the Chickahominy River. Two hundred Indians 



Captain John Smith 



45 



attacked the little party. The two white men were killed, 
and Smith was taken prisoner, but not before he had slain 
two Indians with his pistol. 

The Indians started to put Smith to death, but he took 
out his pocket compass and showed them the trembling needle. 




The Indians capture John Smith 



which they could see but could not touch on account of the 
glass case. This so interested the savages that the warriors 
marched him to their village. 

Smith was kept in the village for some time. He con- 
tinued to astonish the savages by his stories of the land 
beyond the great waters, and by his account of how the sun 
rises and the stars move. They were especially surprised 
at his power to write words on paper so that any one could 



46 



American History 



read and understand what he had written. They thought he 
could make the paper talk. Among those who Hstened to 
him eagerly was Pocahontas, the twelve-year-old daughter of 
the chief. 

The Indians had condemned the brave captain to death, 

and the day came at last for his execution. The chief was 

called Powhatan. He sat before the fire in his 

tent, clothed in a robe made of raccoon skins. 

Around him sat the squaws. The grim warriors 

stood with their faces, arms, and necks painted red, and with 

chains of shell beads around their necks. Two big stones 



Pocahontas 
saves his life 




Pocahontas begs her father to spare the life of John Smith 



were brought and put in front of Powhatan. Smith was led 
in, and his head was laid on the stones. 

The warriors seized their clubs, and stood awaiting the 
sign from Powhatan to dash out the brains of their captive. 
Pocahontas in a moment of tenderness rushed up and knelt 
down by the prisoner, taking his head in her arms and beg- 



Captain John Smith 47 

ging her father to spare his life. The old chief, who loved 

his beautiful young daughter, consented. Smith was released 

and sent back to Jamestown, very much to his own relief and 

to the joy of his friends. 

From this time on Pocahontas was the true friend of the 

white men. She played about the village, coming and going 

as she chose. She loved the colonists, and whenever they 

were in danger of attack from the Indians, the 

Pocahontas 

young prmcess would secretly send them word. 
When their food gave out she would find means to get pro- 
visions to them. She was beloved by Indians and white 
men alike, and helped to keep peace and friendship between 
them. 

After a while Pocahontas married a young Englishman 
named John Rolfe. Before her marriage she be- 
came a Christian and was given the name of Re- . ^nR^if 
becca. She went to England and was received at 
court with much favor and consideration. Her gentle man- 
ners won the hearts of every one. 

Her husband decided to go back to Jamestown. Just as 
the ship was ready to start, Pocahontas was taken ill and 
died, leaving one young son. Pocahontas was buried in 
England, mourned by all who knew her. Many families in 
Virginia to-day are proud to claim their descent from this 
brave and gentle Indian girl. 

Captain Smith remained with the colonists several years. 
On one of his trips he was badly injured by the explosion of a 
bag of powder on board a ship. He jumped 
overboard to put out the flames, and was barely caotain^Smith 
rescued by his companions. This injury made 
it necessary for him to go to England. He never re- 
turned to the colony, though he did explore the coast of 



48 American History 

New England and make valuable maps of that portion of the 
country. He spent the last years of his life in England, 
dying at the age of fifty-two. 

Questions. What can you say of the early life of Captain Smith? 
What adventure did he have with the Turks? How old was he when he 
came to Virginia ? What orders did he give when he took command of 
the colony ? What else did he do to restore order ? What kind of man 
was Captain Smith ? How was he captured by the Indians ? How did 
he save his own life at the time? How did he amuse the savages? Tell 
how Pocahontas saved the captain's life. How did Pocahontas show 
her friendship for the colonists? Whom did she marry? How was she 
treated in England? Where did she die? How was Captain Smith in- 
jured? What became of him afterwards? 

Written Work. Imagine yourself to be Captain Smith, and write the 
story of one of your adventures. 



LESSON 14 
MORE ABOUT JAMESTOWN 

John Smith left about five hundred people in Jamestown. 
Not having his strong hand to guide and control the colony, 
troubles quickly arose. The men became idle and planted no 
crops. The Indians grew suspicious and would not sell corn 
or any kind of food. The natural result followed. The 
colonists were reduced to starvation. 

The starving people ate everything they could lay their 
hands on. They even ate their own dogs, horses, and such 
things as mice, snakes, and lizards. When a 
Time ^^"^'"^ man died of hunger his starving companions 
devoured his dead body, as a pack of hungry 
wolves would have done. The Indians watched for wan- 
derers from the colony to kill them in the woods. By the 



More about Jamestown 



49 



Sir Thomas 
Gates arrives 



end of the winter only sixty of all the live hundred colonists 

were left alive. The others had perished. This was known 

as the Starving Time 

(1609). 
Another shipload of 

people, however, were 
on the way 
to James- 
town, with 

Sir Thomas Gates, a 

new governor for the 

colony. These colonists 

had been shipwrecked 

and had taken refuge 

on one of the Bermuda 

Islands, where they had 

spent the winter. As 

soon as spring came 

they made new ships 

and started for James- 
town. 

It was well they did, 

for when they arrived 

they found the colonists 

almost perishing for 

food, and piteously Powhatan's country 

waiting to be fed and taken away from that dreadful place. 

If Gates had been ten days later, not a man would have been 

left alive in Jamestown. 

Gates himself had food for only two weeks more, and 

in this desperate condition he decided to take the colonists 

on board, abandon the town, and sail to Newfoundland, 




^o American History 

hoping to fall in with some fishing and trading vessels. The 
people of Jamestown were glad enough to go, and so they 
departed with Gates, leaving not a soul on the shores of 
America to claim an Enghsh settlement. 

When they reached the mouth of the James River they 

were met by a fleet of vessels from the mother country, 

bringing new colonists and plenty of food. 

or e a- "Then there was great rejoicing. This was better 

ware arrives " j o 

than going to Newfoundland. Lord Delaware 
was with the new fleet, as governor of the colony. He took 
the colonists back to Jamestown, gave thanks for their dehver- 
ance, and soundly scolded them for their idleness and lack 
of foresight, which had brought them into such a miserable 
plight. 

With Lord Delaware, and those who succeeded him, the 
colonists fared better. Every man was given a small farm 
and made to cultivate it for his own use. Houses were 
built, new settlements were made up and down the river, and 
every year people came from England. 

The colonists now (1612) turned their attention to the 
planting of tobacco. It is said that John Rolfe, the husband 
of Pocahontas, was the first white man to grow it 
for sale. The people of England had grown fond 
of smoking, and there was a demand for tobacco. When 
the people in Jamestown found they could sell all the tobacco 
they could raise, they began to plant large quantities of it. 

From that time they began to prosper. Nearly every- 
body became a tobacco planter. Tobacco was growing 
everywhere, even in the streets of the town. With the 
money from the sale of it, the colonists bought many things 
they needed. Vessels came up the river to sell supplies 
and to buy tobacco. Taxes were paid in tobacco. Salaries 



More about Jamestown 51 

were paid in tobacco. At last the people had found an 
occupation and were content. 

One thing more was needed, and that was wives. There 
were too many men and too few women in the colony. The 
company in London knew that the settlers 
would never be content without homes and ^oilnists'^ 
women to take care of them. Accordingly, a 
shipload of young women, of good character and health, 
were sent over to Jamestown to be wives for the young men. 
Each young woman was to choose her husband, who must 
pay one hundred and twenty pounds of tobacco, to cover 
the cost of the passage to America. 

When the ship arrived with ninety young women on board, 
the men greeted them gladly. Courting was done in a 
hurry, and ministers were on hand to marry them at once. 
The tobacco was paid down, and all the women found good 
homes in a prosperous colony. Other ships came with 
young women for wives. Soon the settlers' homes showed 
the touch of woman's hands, signs of peace and prosperity 
and contentment were on all sides, and the colony was well 
on its way to success. 

Questions. What happened to the colony after the departure of John 
Smith? Describe the horrors of the Starving Time. How many were 
left alive of all the five hundred ? By whom were the colonists saved ? 
What did Gates find on his arrival at Jamestown ? What did Gates re- 
solve to do? Who came in time to save the colony from destruction? 
What did Lord Delaware do ? How did the colonists now fare ? To what 
did the people turn their attention ? Who was the first to grow tobacco 
for sale ? What can you say of the planting and importance of tobacco ? 
What other thing did the colonists want? How many young women 
came over? What effect did this have on the colonists? 

Written Work. Write an account of the Starving Time. Suppose 
you were a colonist choosing a wife, and write how it was done. 



52 American History 

LESSON 15 
AFFAIRS IN VIRGINIA 

At first everybody was required to live out of a common 

stock. This was one of the reasons the people of the 

colony in Virginia were dissatisfied. No matter 

Reasons for 11, 11 1.^1. -j 

discontent ^^ hard a man worked, or what he raised on 

his little farm, he had to put it all together with 
the others. Each man drew out of this common stock 
what he needed for his own use. In this way every man 
felt that he was working for the colony and not for 
himself. This made the industrious ones support the idle 
and lazy. 

When Thomas Dale became governor of Virginia, he 
promptly changed all this. He gave every man his own 
little farm and allowed him to keep all he made on it. Those 
who worked, had an abundance. Those who were idle, 
had nothing. All that Dale required of each man was that 
he should pay two and one half barrels of corn yearly as his 
share of the tax. This change brought about greater activity 
and more content. 

Another cause of discontent was that all the laws for the 
colonists were made in England, and whatever governor was 
sent over by the king could do as he chose 
for Virginia without asking the consent of the colonists. 
This also was changed, and a new charter was 
granted to Virginia, allowing the people to have a voice in 
the making of their laws. They were allowed to have a 
general assembly of persons chosen by them, who were to 
meet and make laws for the government of the colony. The 
governor was still appointed by the king, but the people could 
decide many things for themselves. 



Affairs in Virginia 53 

Under the provision of the new charter, the people of each 
settlement, which was also called a borough, elected repre- 
sentatives to a general or colonial assembly, 
which met for the first time in Jamestown, assembi"'"^ 
July 30, 1619. This was the first time in the 
history of America that a meeting was held by the repre- 
sentatives of the people for the purpose of making laws. It 
was America's first legislature. 

Other people came over to Virginia in great numbers. 
In one year as many as twelve hundred joined the various 
settlements, and peace and prosperity appeared 
on all sides. The settlers, as fast as they came 
over, were given small farms, upon which they built houses 
and established their families. 

Lands were cleared, corn and tobacco were planted, and 
roads between the settlements and the fanns were laid out. 
Ships appeared on the rivers, with live stock, farm utensils, 
clothing, medicine, and other articles from England. On 
the docks were piled huge hogsheads of tobacco and bags 
of corn to be sent to England. 

In 1619 a Dutch war vessel arrived in Jamestown, and 
sold to the colonists twenty negroes to be used as 
slaves. The negroes had been captured on the j^^o^'uced 
coast of Africa. They were very docile, easily 
managed, and made excellent field hands. This was the 
beginning of slavery in what is now the United States. 

One sad event checked the general joy. Powhatan, the 
friend of the white men, had died. The new chief looked 
with distrust and suspicion upon the palefaces. The white 
men kept on coming in such numbers that he was afraid they 
would become too strong for the Indians and drive them away. 
The red men already foresaw their fate. 



54 



American History 



The massacre 



Silently and secretly the Indians gathered about their 
council fires and made their deadly plans. They were to 
hide in the forests and around the plantations 
until noon, when the men would be in the fields 
and without their guns. Then the savages were to rush in 
and murder everybody. The cruel plot was laid, the Indians 

were on the war- 
path, and the colo- 
nists were not aware 
of their danger. 

On the morning of 
the massacre (1622), 
a converted Indian 
ran into Jamestown, 
and calling for a few 
of his friends told 
them the Indians 
were gathering for the 
destruction of the 
whites. It was too 
late to save any place 
but Jamestown, or to 
notify any of the 
planters. The blow 
fell. The painted 
savages burned and 
murdered and scalped 
until four hundred 
people were killed, 
and eighty plantations were reduced to eight. It was a 
dreadful massacre. 

The white people took their revenge upon the Indians. 




A converted Indian gives warning of the 
intended massacre 



The Pilgrims in New England 55 

For years a war was kept up in which the lives of many 
white people as well as of many Indians were lost. The 
savages were hunted and driven from place to place until they 
were thoroughly beaten and punished. They were then 
glad to sue for peace. 

Thus we have seen that the colony of Virginia was started 
and was well on its way to prosperity. It is time for us to 
turn our attention elsewhere to see what was going on in 
other parts of the country. 

Questions. What was one of the reasons for discontent in Virginia? 
What was the effect of having a common stock? What did Thomas 
Dale do to change this ? What was another cause of discontent ? What 
was granted to Virginia ? What were the people allowed to do? When 
did the first colonial assembly meet, and where? What signs of pros- 
perity appeared? When and how was negro slavery introduced into 
Virginia? What dangers arose from the Indians? What did the 
savages plan to do ? How was Jamestown saved ? Tell about the great 
massacre. How were the Indians punished? 

"Written Work. Imagine yourself a planter buying a slave from the 
Dutch vessel, and write an account of it. 



LESSON 16 
THE PILGRIMS IN NEW ENGLAND 

The shores of New England were very well known to the 
English by this time. Fishing vessels often went that way, 
and Captain John Smith, our hero of Jamestown, had 
explored the coast for many miles and had given the land 
the name of New England. We have now to see who came 
there to make a settlement. 

To do this let us go back to England. We find that at 
that time people were not allowed to think as they chose 



56 American History 

in regard to religion. The king declared that everybody 
should think as he thought, or there would be trouble. Now- 
adays, no king would do such a thing. People 
r if ■ n^ ^ do as they please about religious matters, join 
any church they like, go to service or stay away 
as it suits them. But things were different then, and people 
had to do as the king said. 

There were some people in England who did not like 
this, because they wanted to worship God in their own way. 
They resolved to leave the estabhshed church. They decided 
also to leave England. ' When they left England, they went 
to Holland, where they stayed twelve years, working hard, 
attending to their own business, and having the kind of 
church service and religion they liked. 

The only objection to remaining in Holland was that the 

children were learning Dutch customs and speaking Dutch. 

Therefore these wanderers, who became known 

The Pilgrims 

as " Pilgrims," decided to come to America. 
While other colonists turned to these shores for gold and 
gain, the Pilgrims came here to find a place of freedom to 
worship God according to their own ideas. 

It was decided to send a small number of their people 
over to America to find a place for them all to settle. Two 
vessels were engaged to take the colonists over, but hardly 
had they sailed when one of the ships sprung a leak and had 
to go into harbor for repairs. The repairs were of no avail, 
and the vessel was abandoned. About one hundred of the 
Pilgrims gathered on board the other vessel, — the May- 
flower, — bound for America. 

The party intended to land somewhere on the New Jersey 
coast, where the king had given them permission to go, glad 
to get rid of them doubtless, and hoping all the others of 



The Pilgrims in New England 



S7 



their sort would soon follow. The weather on the voyage 
was bad, and the Mayflower came to land around Cape Cod. 
This seemed as good a place as any, and the settlers decided 
there to found their colony. 

The Pilgrims held a meeting in the cabin of the Mayflower, 
and signed an agreement among themselves, by which each 




Jht Piiynins gather in the cabin of the ''Mayflower" and sign 
the compact 

one bound himself to obey all the laws of the colony, and to 
see that only good laws were made. They chose John Carver 
to be governor. Then they began to explore the coast to 
find a good place to locate. 

The Pilgrims settled at a place which Captain John Smith 
had marked Plymouth on his map. They decided 



Landing of the 
Pilgrims 



to make that the site of their town, because it 
reminded them of their old home in England. 
This was December 21, 1620, thirteen years after James- 
town in Virginia had been settled. 



58 



American History 



On Christmas Day the first house was begun. It was a 
rude storehouse for provisions. All that day, and for many 
days after, the men cut down trees, built cabins for their 
families, covered them with thatch, filled up the cracks with 




The Pilgrims suffer great hardship 



mud and mortar, and put oiled paper in the windows. It 
was very cold, and the colonists suffered dreadfully. The 
winter settled down dreary and severe. Half the colonists 
died, among them Governor Carver himself. William Brad- 
ford was chosen in his place, and the people did tHe best 
they could until spring. 

The Indians were watching them. The colonists did not 
know whether they were friendly or not, so the graves of the 



The Pilgrims in New England 



59 



dead were leveled, plowed over, and planted with corn, in 
order that the savages could not tell how many had died. 

One day an Indian walked into the village crying aloud, 
" Welcome, Englishmen." His name was Samoset, an Indian 
from Maine. He had learned a little English from 
the fishermen along the coast. Samoset became 



Samoset and 
Squanto 



the friend of the colonists. He brought another 

Indian, named Squanto, who lived a long time with the 

English and helped them in many ways. 




Samoset enters the village and calls out, " ' Welcome, Englishmen 



He told the settlers to plant their corn when the oak leaf 
was as big as a mouse's ear, and to drop a dead herring in each 
hill for fertilizer. He hunted and fished for the colonists, and 



6o American History 

became their guide, interpreter, and protector. He told 
the Indians that the white men kept the plague buried in 
the ground and could let it loose whenever they liked. It 
was through his help that a treaty was made with Massasoit, 
a neighboring chief, which was faithfully kept by both sides 
for fifty years. 

But not all of the Indians were so friendly. Canonicus, 
the chief of the Narragansetts, did not like to see the white 

men on his soil. He sent Governor Bradford a 
CanoiJcus bundle of arrows tied in a snake skin. The 

messenger dropped it in the village street and 
ran away as fast as he could. 

Governor Bradford knew that this meant war. He filled 
the snake skin full of powder and shot and sent it back to 
Canonicus. If there was one thing the Indians were afraid 
of, it was the gun of the white man. and the mysterious black 
dirt that could turn into thunder and throw deadly balls. 
Canonicus looked at the snake skin and decided that he did 
not want war. 

Collateral Reading. " The Landing of the Pilgrims," by Mrs. 
Hcmans. 

Massasoit's Recovery. Massasoit was ill with fever, and nigh unto 
death. Edward Winslow and two attendants set out for his relief. 
The king was lying on a bed of skins, full of dirt and filth. The wigwam 
was shut up tight, so that it was dark and stifling within. Outside, the 
medicine men were making hideous noises to drive away the evil spirits. 
The king's lips were dry, his skin was parched, and his eyes rolled with 
the fever. 

Winslow drove the people out of the tent, and opened it up for air and 
light. He bathed the king in water and gave him a cool, clean bed to lie 
upon. He wet his lips with water and gave him some medicine. Then 
he ordered all noise to cease. Soon the king fell asleep and awoke next 
day refreshed. At the end of three days the fever left him, and in a few 
weeks he was well and walking about. " Now I know the English are 



Captain Miles Standish 6i 



my friends," said tlie grateful king. As long as he lived he showed his 
gratitude for this service. 

Questions. How did New England get its name? What did the 
king of England require of his subjects in matters of religion? What 
did some people think of this? Where did they go to find religious 
freedom? What was the objection to Holland? What did the people 
call themselves ? Where did they decide to go ? What vessel did the first 
party sail in? Where did they land? What agreement was signed 
before landing? Where did the Pilgrims settle? Describe the suffer- 
ings of the first winter. How did they deceive the Indians as to the 
number of the dead? What can you say of Samoset? How did 
Squanto help the colonists? What did Canonicus do? What reply 
did Governor Bradford make? 

Written Work. Write a description of the landing of the Pilgrims 
and the hardships they endured the first winter. 



LESSON 17 
CAPTAIN MILES STANDISH 

Among the leaders of the Pilgrims of Plymouth v^as the 
stout and vaUant soldier, Miles Standish. He was small in 
size, with yellow hair and beard, quick of Appearance 
temper, and brave as a lion in his dealings with of Captain 
the Indians. Some of them called him " boihng ^^^ *^ 
water " on account of his temper ; others called him " Captain 
Shrimp " on account of his size and color. He and sixteen 
followers were the lirst of the Pilgrims to land from the 
Mayflower. 

His wife died the first year of the colony, when so many 
perished from the hardships. At one time Standish and six 
others were the only well ones. They brought all the wood, 
made all the fires, cooked most of the food, and even washed 
the clothes of nearly the entire colony. 



62 



American History 



Captain Standish was the leader of the colonists in their 
dealings with the Indians. Once when Squanto, the friendly 
interpreter, had been made prisoner by some 
unfriendly Indians, who threatened to kill him, 
Standish marched with nine men to the Indian 
village, and placing his men around the house of the chief, 
boldly entered it alone and called for Squanto. 



Rescues 
Squanto 




Captain Miles Standish and sixteen followers land from the 
flower " to explore the coast 



May- 



The Indians were alarmed at this sudden appearance of 
the soldier, and ran out of the house as fast as they could. 
Squanto was soon found and delivered to his friends, while 
Standish and his men spent the night in the chief's house, 
not allowing any of the Indians to come in. The next day 
they marched in triumph back to Plymouth. 



Captain Miles Standish 63 

Another time Captain Standish had gone in a boat to buy 
some corn from the Indians who hved down the coast. The 
wind ceased to blow, and he was compelled to 
pass the night on shore. The Indians talked in a "°* ^^ ^ 

'^ ° _ _ venture 

friendly way, but Standish discovered a plot to kill 
him in the night. One Indian invited him to go to his house 
to sleep. Standish accepted the invitation and went into the 
house, but instead of lying down, he loaded his gun and kept 
it ready on his knee as he sat by the fire. 

The Indian begged him to go to sleep, but Standish knew 
that if he did the Indian would kill him. So he stayed 
awake all night, his gun ready, the Indian watching him 
closely. When morning came he backed out of the house, 
and made the Indian follow him to the boat and back to 
Plymouth. His courage had made the savage afraid to 
attack him. 

Captain Standish required every man to carry his gun 

with him, and be ready to use it. Even when the colonists 

assembled to go to church, each man brought 

His orders 

his musket to the captain's door. Then they 
marched by twos and threes to the meeting-house, the women 
along with them. The men stood their guns by their sides 
while service was being held. 

In this way the brave captain kept down the Indians, 
drilled the soldiers, inspired courage and hope, and secured 
peace and prosperity for Plymouth. He was a type of the 
sturdy colonist, ready to go to war or to church, quick to 
fight an Indian for the sake of corn, or a king for the sake 
of conscience, whom no terrors could daunt and no climate 
subdue, and whose example of courage and patience helped 
to make a colony, as the same colony has helped to make a 
nation. 



64 American History 

The First Thanksgiving. The Pilgrims had passed their first 
summer, and it was now autumn. The corn was ripe in the fields, the 
nuts were falling in the woods, the game was plentiful, and the Indians 
were peaceful. " Let us gather our crops, call in our Indian friends, 
have a day or two of feasting and fun, and call it Thanksgiving," said 
Governor Bradford. 

To this the Pilgrims all agreed, after they had been granted a whole 
week instead of one or two days. Massasoit was invited. He came with 
a string of bones and a pouch of tobacco around his neck, his face daubed 
with paint, and his hair sleek with oil. Governor Bradford said he 
" looked greasily." His braves were with him in all the glory of deer- 
skins and feathers, and with faces painted all the colors of the rainbow. 

The white men and the Indians went hunting, and killed wild turkeys 
and deer for the feast. The women cooked the meat, broiled the fish, 
baked the bread, and the young people waited on the tables. Under the 
trees the tables were spread. Around them sat the Pilgrims and their 
Indian friends. Jokes were passed, stories were told, and the old times 
in England and Holland w^re talked over. Then followed games and 
shooting matches, and by night the Indians danced and sang their war 
chants. 

It was a royal week of Thanksgiving. The custom has now passed 
into a national holiday, and once a year the whole nation rejoices in its 
prosperity and gives thanks for its many blessings. 

Collateral Reading. " The Courtship of Miles Standish," by 
Longfellow. 

Questions. Describe the appearance of Miles Standish. How did 
he help the colonists during their hardships? Describe the way he 
rescued Squanto from some unfriendly Indians. Describe his adventure 
with another body of Indians. What did Standish require of every 
man ? What did the brave captain do for the colony of Plymouth ? 

Written "Work. Write the story of some of the adventures of Captain 
Miles Standish. 



The Puritans and John Winthrop 65 

LESSON 18 
THE PURITANS AND JOHN WINTHROP 

We have seen that there were many people in England 
who did not hke the established church, and thought it 
was corrupt. Those who tried to purify the 

^ . . . . The Puritans 

church without actually leaving it were called 
Puritans. They beheved in a simple service with more 
religion among the preachers, and better lives for the 
people. Those Puritans who left the church and came 
to America were called Pilgrims. We are now to see how 
those who did not leave the church also came to New 
England. 

The company in England, which had formed the Plymouth 
Colony and which had been known as the Plymouth Company, 
was changed to the Massachusetts Bay Company. This 
company made ready a ship to take a body of Puritans over 
to America in 1628, with John Endicott as leader. The 
colonists landed on the shores of Massachusetts and founded 
a town which they called Salem. The next year Endicott 
sent an exploring party up the Charles River and began a 
settlement which took the name of Charlestown. 

The Massachusetts Company now decided to move its 
headquarters to New England. The king granted them a 
charter to govern themselves as they saw fit. 
This pleased the Puritans greatly, and in 1630 f^^^^^^ 
more than one thousand came over under the 
leadership of John Winthrop, and settled at Boston, which 
afterwards became the capital of the colony, and a great 
city. 

Other towns were soon established as people came over, 
and in ten years as many as twenty thousand people had 



66 



American History 



left England to find homes in what is now the State of Massa- 
chusetts. 

Governor John Winthrop, who was the leader of the Boston 
settlement, was as remarkable a man in his way as was 
Captain John Smith of Virginia, or Captain Miles Stan- 
dish of Plymouth. He was brave, self-reliant, and very 

religious and severe in 
his notions. He was 
so generous to the 
colonists that at one 
time during a severe 
winter when he had but 
one loaf of bread in his 
oven, he gave it all to 
a man who came beg- 
ging some meal. 

As Boston grew and 
other towns were set- 
tled near by. Gover- 
nor Winthrop found 
that he had plenty to 
do. Every shipload 

brought over laborers 
of all sorts, who had 
to be set to work. The 
carpenter was put to 
building houses, the ma- 
son to laying brick, the 
stone cutter to hewing 
stones, and the farmer 




The Puritans march in a body to church, 
armed for protection against the savages 



to planting corn and vegetables. His was a busy life. He 
worked every day with his own hands. 



The Puritans and John Winthrop 67 

There was no time for play in a young colony, and, besides, 
the Puritans were a severe people who did not believe much 
in play. Nobody was allowed to dance, or 
attend any kind of entertainment. The women 
were not allowed to wear ribbons, nor dresses of fine cloth. 
The governor himself wore the plainest clothes and lived 
in the simplest way. Everybody had to go to bed early. 
The governor ordered all lights out by nine o'clock, but you 
may be sure he had everybody up by daybreak, and as soon 
as the sun rose the town was busy at work. 

Governor Winthrop had his own way of dealing with 
people. When, for example, an angry man sent him a letter, 
written in a bad temper, the governor sent it 
back to him, saying he was not wilKng to keep "^''^^^''op'^ 

^ •> ^ Of management 

such a letter. The man who wrote it was the 

man to have it. The writer soon apologized to the governor 

for his rudeness. 

At another time when the winter was very cold, the gov- 
ernor heard that a certain needy neighbor had been stealing 
wood from his woodpile. The governor said, " I will arrange 
it, so that he will not steal any more of my wood." He sent 
for the man and said to him, " My friend, it is a severe winter, 
and I have no doubt you need wood. There is my woodpile. 
If you need wood, take it, until the spring comes, when you 
can repay me." In this way the poor man was provided for, 
and the governor made him ashamed, of his act. 

An old writer of that time, Cotton Mather by name, 
says : " the governor sometimes made his own private purse 
to be the pubKc purse, not by sucking into it, but by squeez- 
ing out of it. It was his custom to send some of his family 
on errands into the houses of the poor about their mealtime 
on purpose to spy whether they wanted, and if it were found 



68 American History 

that they wanted, he would make that the opportunity of 
sending suppHes to them." 

Good Governor Winthrop ! Twelve times he was re- 
elected governor, and died in his old age, loved by everybody 
who knew him and honored in the annals of the nation. 

Questions. Who were the Puritans?'' What did they beheve in? 
What new name was given the Plymouth Company? What town was 
founded, and by whom, in 1628? What town was founded the next 
year ? When and by whom was Boston settled ? How many people came 
over in ten years? What can you say of John Winthrop? Describe 
Winthrop's generosity. Describe his activity. How were the Puritans 
required to live? What did the governor order? How did Winthrop 
treat the man who sent him a note in bad temper? How did he treat 
the man who was steahng his wood? What did Cotton Mather say? 

Written Work. Write a story about John Winthrop. 



LESSON 19 

OTHER NEW ENGLAND COLONIES 

In 1622 a large tract of territory from the Merrimac River 
to the Kennebec River was granted to two Englishmen, 
Mason and Gorges. This territory embraced what is now 
the present states of New Hampshire and INTaine. 

In 1623 the first settlement was made in the territory that 
afterwards became New Hampshire. The settlement was 
at the mouth of the Piscataqua River near the present city 
of Portsmouth. A few years later a fish merchant from 
London founded the city of Dover, six miles up the river. 

In 1629 Mason and Gorges divided their possessions, 
Mason receiving the part that became New Hampshire and 
Gorges the portion that became Maine. The heirs of these 
proprietors sold their rights after many years. 



Other New England Colonies 69 



THE COAST 

OF 

NEW ENGLAND 

SCALE OF MILES 




UradUu i FitAtM, A'nf ». ^'^ 



Settlements in the New England colonies 



70 American History 

Among the men who left the first settlement to found 
others was Roger Williams, who had come over to Salem 
in 1631 as a preacher. He was a Puritan, and 
°^y^ had left England on account of the persecution. 

Roger Williams had even severer views on the 
subject of religion than the other Puritans. He preached 
very boldly that all laws that bound a man's conscience 
were unjust ; that a man should not be punished for stay- 
ing away from church; that the king had no right to give 
away the lands of the Indians ; and many other doctrines 
that the Puritans generally did not beheve in. 

The people of Salem decided that WiUiams was too bold 
a preacher, and so they ordered him to go back to England. 
He refused to go, and kept on preaching. Soldiers were sent 
to his house to arrest him, but he escaped before they arrived, 
and fled into the forests to the villages of his Indian friends. 
He had already learned their language, had slept in their 
tents, and knew their ways. 

With five friends, Williams sought for a place to found a 
colony of his own. He at last settled at Providence (1636). 
He made friends with the Indians and bought a large tract 
of land from them. His earnest pleading kept the terrible 
Narragansetts friendly to all the white colonists. Other 
friends soon joined his colony, and a prosperous community 
was started. 

Another member of the Puritan church in Boston was 
Mrs. Anne Hutchinson. She declared that the preachers 
did not preach sound doctrine. The preachers 
nThn'^^n replied that a woman had no business mixing in 
public affairs, and should not hold meetings 
in her own house to discuss religious matters. The preachers 
then banished her from Boston. 



Other New England Colonies 



71 



With a few friends she went to Providence where Roger 
Williams was, and by his advice and help bought some land 
from Canonicus, the 
The 



Indian chief, 
first settlement was 
called Portsmouth, 
and the second was 
called Newport. 
After a while the 
towns of Providence, 
Portsmouth, and New- 
port were united 
under one govern- 
ment, and were called 
Rhode Island and 
Providence Plantations 




Roger Williams, having settled at Providence, 
welcomes Anne Hutchinson to his colony 



These settlements were the begin- 
ning of the present State of Rhode Island. 

There was a rule among the Puritans at Boston, that only 
church members should vote in the affairs of government. 
Thomas Hooker, although a pastor of a church, Thomas 
thought that everybody should have a voice in Hooker 
pubhc affairs whether he was a member of a church or not. 
Governor Winthrop would not listen to such an idea. Then 
Hooker decided to found a town of his own, where every 
man could have a voice in its management. 

A few months after Roger Williams had been driven out 
of Salem, Hooker gathered a large body of people who thought 
as he did, and started on a journey toward the Connecticut 
River. The congregation traveled slowly, taking their 
children, goods, and cattle with them. They lived as best 
they could during their long march, on the food they bought, 
and on the milk of the cows. 



72 American History 

They settled at Hartford on the Connecticut River in 
1636. They drew up a body of laws for the government of 
the town, and for other towns which were estab- 
foxindedTe 6 ^^^^cd later. In this manner the State of Con- 
necticut began, under a written constitution, in 
which everybody had a voice, and a vote in the government. 
•This was the first time in the history of the world that a state 
was thus begun. 

Thus we see that the New England colonies had begun 
their existence, with the Pilgrims and Puritans, seeking a 
place to worship God in their own way. Ships came over 
in great numbers bearing colonists, who settled along the 
coast and in the interior. Differences of opinions about 
matters of faith caused some to gather in special colonies. 
In the course of twenty years more than twenty-five thousand 
stern and hardy settlers had firmly planted themselves in 
New England, learned to brave the severe winters, and care 
for themselves and their children. They were glad to find a 
home in a land of liberty. 

Questions. What settlements were now made? When was New 
Hampshire settled? When was Maine settled? Who was Roger 
Williams ? What religious views did he have ? What did the people of 
Salem order? What did Williams then do? Where did he found a 
colony? What influence did he exert over the Indians? Who was 
Mrs. Anne Hutchinson? Where did she go? What settlements did 
she make? What name was given to all these new settlements? What 
opinions did Thomas Hooker have? What journey was begun? How 
did they travel? Where did they settle? What can you say of the 
written constitution of Connecticut? What can you say of the pros- 
perity of the New England colonies? 

Written Work. Write the story of Roger Williams. Write the 
story of Anne Hutchinson. Write the story of Thomas Hooker. 



Henry Hudson 73 

LESSON 20 
HENRY HUDSON 

In 1609, two years after Jamestown was settled, and eleven 
years before the Pilgrims landed at Plymouth, Henry Hudson, 
an Englishman, sailed across the Atlantic Ocean in a ship 
called the Half Moon, under a Dutch flag, and in the service 
of the Dutch East India Company. The ship was of eighty 
tons burden, had two masts, and was manned by a crew of 
twenty men. Of course, whatever land they discovered 
would belong to the Dutch. 

In the month of September, after a five months' voyage, 
Captain Hudson came in sight of the hills that mark the coast 
around New York. Saihng into what we now call Sandy 
Hook, he anchored at the entrance of New York 
Bay, and saw before him a broad entrance which he york'^ga ^^ 
hoped might lead through the continent and into 
China. At this place his ship lay at anchor for a week, while 
the men fished and explored. 

At the end of the week Captain Hudson weighed anchor 
and sailed a little way into the bay, where he stopped again 
to explore. Canoes full of Indians came to the side of his 
vessel. The savages made signs of friendship, 

, , . , _,, The Indians 

and ottered beans and oysters for sale. The 
captain would not allow any of the Indians on board his 
vessel, though he was glad enough to get the oysters in 
exchange for glass beads. 

The Indians had never seen any white men before, and 
thought the Great Spirit had come. Crowds of canoes soon 
put out to see this great canoe with white wings, that moved 
without rowing, but Hudson would not let them come too near 
him. 



74 



American History 




Historic waterways 



The Indians were very nu- 
merous, for the land was rich 
and beautiful. On the island 
lived the Manhattans, and up 
the river lived the Sing Sings. 
On one side of the river lived 
the Hackensacks, and down tiie 
bay were the Raritans. Hudson 
was afraid of all these strange 
and warlike faces, and proceeded 
up the river with great caution. 
He next anchored opposite 
Manhattan Island, somewhere 
near the present city 
of New York. With 
the broad river be- 
fore him he sailed boldly for- 
ward, passing the site of West 
Point, and the great Catskill 
Mountains, and going as far as 
the present city of Albany. 
Here the ship could go no far- 
ther, and Hudson permitted the 
Indians to come on board, bring- 
ing corn, grapes, pumpkins, and 
skins of otter and beaver. 

Above this point the river 
was only a narrow and shallow 
channel. Hudson saw that he 



Sails up the 
river 



had no chance to reach China that way, so he turned the 
Half Moon downstream. When he neared the mouth of the 
river the Indians became hostile and attacked his ship. He 



Henry Hudson 



7S 




Henry Hudson in 1609 sails up the Hudson River under a Dutch flag and 
claims all the territory of New York for the Dutch 



76 American History 

fired a cannon at a canoe full of warriors, which broke in the 
side of the frail craft and drowned nine of the savages. 

Hudson then sailed out of the river he had discovered, 
and which ever since has been known as the Hudson River. 
He sailed back to Holland, and reported to the Dutch what 
he had done and seen, and they at once laid claim to all the 
lands on both sides of the river, by right of discovery and 
exploration. 

Hudson sailed no more under the Dutch flag. He went 
back to London, entered the service of the London Company, 
and started out again to find a northwest pas- 
Hmison^^ ° sage to India and China. He discovered Hudson 
Bay, which also was named for him. Here he. 
was obliged to spend a dreary winter, with his ship frozen 
hard and fast in the ice, and his crew nearly dead for want of 
food. 

When spring came, his men rebelled, seized him and a few 
of his faithful companions, put them in a small boat, and set 
them adrift among the icebergs of the northern seas. 

Thus Henry Hudson came to his death, but not before he 
had left his name as a great discoverer and had given to the 
Dutch the right to send their ships to trade with the Indians 
of Manhattan Island for furs and fish, and to found a colony 
on the banks of the Hudson River. 

The Drunken Indian. Hudson visited an Indian village on Man- 
hattan Island. After talking awhile he drank the chief's health in a 
glass of brandy, and then offered a drink to the chief. The old warrior 
smelled it and handed it around. All the Indians shook their heads and 
refused to drink, except one who lifted the glass to his lips and swallowed 
the brandy with many a wry grimace. 

In a short while he began to stagger, then to whoop and yell, and 
finally he fell unconscious to the ground. His companions thought he was 
dead, but Hudson and his men soon had him all right. The Indian 



The Dutch Settle New York 



17 



declared it was the strongest water he had ever tasted, but that it made 
him feel he was in the happy hunting grounds, with plenty of game on 
all sides, and the scalps of many enemies in his belt. 

After that all the Indians took a drink. Later on the white man's " fire 
water " became a deadly enemy to the Indians, and many a dreadful 
massacre could be traced to its evil influence upon the race. 

Questions. When did Henry Hudson set sail? In whose service? 
What bay did he enter? What passage was he seeking? How did the 
Indians treat him? What did they think of the white men and their 
ships ? What were the names of some of the tribes ? Where did Hudson 
next anchor ? To what point did he sail ? Why did he return ? • How 
did he treat the savages who attacked him ? Where did he sail after leav- 
ing the river ? What other voyages did he attempt ? What bay did he 
discover? What became of him? What right was established by his 
discoveries? Tell the story of the drunken Indian. 

Written Work. Imagine yourself an Indian, and write your impres- 
sions of the Ralj Moon as it came sailing up the Hudson. 



LESSON 21 
THE DUTCH SETTLE NEW YORK 

The Dutch laid claim to all the lands in America that Henry 
Hudson had visited while saihng under the Dutch flag. They 
sent out ships to trade with the Indians, and established trad- 
ing posts along the Hudson River and on Manhattan Island. 
They bought valuable furs from the Indians in exchange for 
cheap toys, beads, and other articles. 

In 1614 a few cabins were built on Manhattan Island, and 
a little town was started with a fort to protect it. The place 
was named New Amsterdam, after the town of Amsterdam 
in Holland. Afterwards the whole island was bought from 
the Indians for a few trinkets and other small articles worth 
about twenty-four dollars. The Indians had no idea of values, 



78 American History 

and would sell the white men the richest lands or the finest furs 
for cheap jewelry and gaudy ornaments. 

The Dutch merchants formed the Dutch West India Com- 
pany, and obtained a charter to trade in the territory from 
the Delaware to the Connecticut River. They 
Netherlands Called all this land New Netherlands. Thus we 
see that there was a New England, a New France, 
and a New Netherlands in America, all at one time. New 
England is the only one of the three names that has survived. 

The Dutch settlement grew slowly. Fort Orange was 
built on the site of the present city of Albany. The few 
scattered hamlets around the mouth of the river were mere 
trading posts. After fifteen years New Amsterdam had only 
three hundred people. 

The Dutch Company now off'ered to every man who would 
bring over a colony of fifty persons a tract of land sixteen 
miles along the river, over which he could be the absolute 
ruler and lord, provided he paid the Indians for it. This was 
easily done, and some of these lords, or " patroons " as they 
were called, played an important part in the history of the 
colony. 

The Dutch sent over several governors to New Nether- 
lands, but Peter Stuyvesant (Sti've sant) was the most noted 
of them all. He had been a soldier, and while 
stuyvesant ^S^ting bravely had lost a leg. Ever afterwards 
he wore a wooden leg. Because it was bound 
with silver bands he was called "Old Silver Leg." He was 
cross and peevish, and sometimes would get terribly angry 
when things did not go to suit him. 

Still, he ruled justly, and the people respected him. He 
forbade the merchants selling whisky to the Indians, he 
established good schools for the children, and he made every- 



The Dutch Settle New York 



79 



body go to church, though each one was allowed to go to any 
church he chose. 

The Dutch lived differently from the English in New 




The Dutch patroons lived in ease and comfort 



England. They had odd-looking houses, with curious gables, 

and a stoop, or porch, in front. Inside, the 

stolid, fat Dutch merchants would sit and smoke 

their pipes in comfort. The women were excellent house- 



8o American History 

keepers. They kept everything clean and orderly, the floors 
covered with white sand, and the tiles polished as bright as 
could be. The Dutch housewives became noted for their 
thrift. 

The men wore baggy knee-breeches, and long stockings, with 
silver buckles at the knee and on their shoes. They wore 
curious high hats, and often a braid on the back of the head. 
Many of the families of New York trace their ancestry back 
to the good old Dutch colonists of New Amsterdam, and 
many streets, villages, and mountains still bear the names 
first given them by the Dutch settlers. 

England, however, had her eyes on the Dutch settlements, 
and the growth of New Amsterdam ^ on Manhattan Island 
English take ^^^ ^^^ please the king. England claimed all 
possession of the land that the Dutch had occupied, on the 
^^ °^ ground that it was part of the territory discov- 

ered by Cabot, and that Henry Hudson was an Englishman, 
even if he did sail under a Dutch flag. 

The king of England in 1664 sent a fleet of ships which 

appeared off Manhattan Island. The Dutch were ordered 

to surrender their town. Governor Stuyvesant was in a 

great rage. He tore up the demand for surrender, and 

called upon the people to drive the English away. But it 

happened that the Dutch had grown tired of Stuyvesant's 

rule, and more especially of the tyranny of the "patroons," 

or proprietors. So they forced Governor Stuyvesant to 

yield to the demands of the English. 

1 When the English threatened the colony on IManhattan Island, New 
Amsterdam was made secure on the land side by a stockade twelve feet 
high, defended by blockhouses. This stockade extended along the hnp 
of what is now Wall Street, hence its name. The village was still small, 
hardly a mile in circumference. Outside lay the farms, or "boweries," as the 
Dutch called them. 



The Dutch Settle New York 



8i 



The name New Am- 
sterdam was now 
changed to New York. 
The village contained 
only fifteen hundred 
people at the time, but it 
has since grown into one 
of the greatest cities of 
the world. All the 
Dutch claims in Amer- 
ica were ceded to the 
English, though the 
Dutch people still re- 
mained as good citizens 
and subjects of the 
king of England. 

Even old Peter Stuy- 
vesant did not return 
to Holland. He had a 
farm on Manhattan Is- 
land called the Bowery. 
Here he spent his last 
days in peace and comfort, honored and respected, dying at 
the age of eighty years. 

Questions. To what did the Dutch lay claim ? When and where was 
New Amsterdam established ? How much was paid for the whole island ? 
What Dutch Company was formed ? What name was given to all the land ? 

Where was Fort Orange built? How large was New Amsterdam in 
fifteen years ? What was now offered by the Dutch Company ? Who was 
Peter Stuyvesant ? Describe his character. Describe the Dutch life. What 
•did the English claim, and why? What were the Dutch ordered to do? 
What new name was given to the town ? What became of Stuyvesant ? 

Written Work. Write a description of Peter Stuyvesant. 




Stuyvesant in a rage appeals to the people 
not to surrender their town 



82 American History 

LESSON 22 
THE FOUNDING OF MARYLAND 

We have now to see how another sort of colony was 
established in America, and for the same reason that the 
Plymouth Colony was settled. This time, however, it was 
for the Roman Catholics, who had no religious rights at all 
by the laws of England. If a man were a Roman Catholic 
he could not hold office or take any part in the govern- 
ment. 

There lived in England a good Catholic named George 
Calvert, who was a friend of the king. He had been made 
a lord, with the title of Lord Baltimore. He 
Baltim re wanted to find a place in America where he 
could found a Catholic colony, and where the 
persecuted members of that church could worship without 
hindrance. 

The king readily granted to Lord Baltimore a portion of 
land north of the Potomac River. This was easily done 
since the grant cost him nothing, and he had to ask nobody's 
consent. The land was named Maryland in compliment to 
the wife of Charles I, whose name was Henrietta Maria, and 
who herself was a Catholic. 

Whereas other colonies had been ruled by a company, 
this colony was to be governed entirely by Lord Baltimore, 
who was called the " Lord Proprietor." It was in this way 
that Maryland, and several other colonies afterwards estab- 
lished, differed from the colonies ruled by charters, or by 
governors appointed by the king. 

Lord Baltimore was almost a king in the power granted 
him. He had to pay a yearly rent of two arrowheads to 
the Crown of England, together with a fifth part of all the 



The Founding of Maryland 83 

gold and silver he found in Maryland, but as he never 
found any, this part of the contract did not amount to 
anything. 

Lord Baltimore had the right to coin money, create courts, 
appoint judges, pardon criminals, and call together an as- 
sembly of the people to make laws. The laws did ^j^^ powers 
not have to be sent to England for the king to of Lord 
approve, but were to be approved by Lord Balti- ^ ^^°^^ 
more himself. Finally, Lord Baltimore's sons in line were 
to be his heirs as lords of the colony. This was quite differ- 
ent from the other colonies in America, but King Charles 
granted all this to his favorite friend. 

The good George Calvert did not live to found his colony, 
and his son Cecil Calvert, who is called the second Lord 
Baltimore, took up the work his father began. Two vessels, 
called the Dove and the Ark, set sail for America carrying two 
hundred colonists. 

Not all of these were Catholics, for a few Protestants had 
joined the enterprise, since Lord Baltimore had resolved 
that all kinds of religion should be tolerated. 
The Catholics had been persecuted in England, co°ionv^"^ 
but in America they would not themselves turn 
persecutors. Cecil Calvert did not come himself, but sent 
his brother Leonard Calvert, to whom is really due the credit 
of founding the colony of Maryland. The colonists landed 
in 1634, and founded the colony of St. Mary's. 

Trade opened at once with the Indians. Land was secured 
for the town, in exchange for clothes, axes, hatchets, knives, 
and other articles the Indians liked. The savages were 
friendly, invited the colonists to spend a while in their 
wigwams, and showed them how to plant corn and make 
bread. 



84 American History 

This colony was spared many of the hardships that other 
colonies suffered. Tobacco was planted on the rich lands, 
negro slaves were purchased to work on the farms, many 
Protestants joined the colony, and under the wise rule of the 
Calverts, Maryland prospered year after year. 

The people of Virginia on the other hand were not at all 
pleased to see so prosperous a rival colony near them. One 
Virginian, named Claiborne, who lived on Kent 
Virginia ^* Island in Chesapeake Bay, attacked the Mary- 
landers with an armed force. He was defeated, 
however, and driven from the island. 

Later, when a number of Puritans had come to Maryland 
and tried to overthrow the Catholic government, Claiborne 
tried with their assistance to invade Maryland again. Once 
more he was driven away. He tried a third time, and suc- 
ceeded in defeating the Marylanders in a battle fought near 
the site of the city of Annapolis. 

The cause of the Calverts was carried to England, and 
after a patient hearing there it was decided that Lord Balti- 
The Calverts n^o^e and his descendants had a right to the 
defend their soil of Maryland, and the Virginians were ordered 
not to molest them. After this the Maryland 
colony had no further trouble. 

With varying fortunes the colonies in Maryland grew. 
After fifty or sixty years laws were enacted against the Cath- 
olics, and the rule of the Calverts was brought to a close. 
Then, for more than twenty years the colony was ruled by 
governors sent over from England. 

At length the fourth Lord Baltimore turned Protestant, 
and the proprietorship was restored to him. This was not 
again disturbed until the colonies rebelled against England, 
and a new government began for them all. 



New Jersey arid Delaware 85 

Questions. How were the Catholics treated in England? Who 
was George Calvert ? What title was given him ? What did he wish to 
do ? What grant was made by the king ? What name was given to the 
land, and for whom ? How was the colony to be governed ? 

What powers were granted to Lord Baltimore? What rent did he 
have to pay? What rights did Lord Baltimore have? 

Who was Cecil Calvert ? How many colonists came over ? To which 
Calvert is really due the credit of founding Maryland? How did the 
Indians treat the colonists? What prosperity did they enjoy? What 
trouble did they have with the Virginians ? How was the trouble decided ? 
How did the rule of the Calverts come to a close ? How was it restored ? 

Written Work. Give your reasons for thinking Lord Baltimore was 
a good man. 



LESSON 23 
THE SETTLEMENT OF NEW JERSEY AND DELAWARE 

You will remember that the territory of New York was 
captured by the English. It was then given to the Duke of 
York, the brother of the king of England. The land com- 
prised in this territory extended toward the south, covering 
the present States of New Jersey and Delaware. 

The Duke of York had two friends in England named 
Lord Berkeley and Sir George Carteret. Between these two 
noblemen he divided a portion of the southern 
part of the territory captured from the Dutch New^j^rfeV 
and named the territory New Jersey, in honor of 
the Isle of Jersey which was the EngHsh home of Sir 
George Carteret. The whole territory was later divided 
into parts, one being known as West Jersey, the other as 
East Jersey. 

There were already settlements along the coast, and a 
few towns in this territory, the people buying land from the 



86 American History- 

Indians and considering themselves as belonging to New 
York. 

In 1665 Philip Carteret, the deputy governor, landed with 
thirty followers. He marched into one of the villages with 




Governor Carteret arrives at Elizabethtown 

a hoe on his shoulder, followed by the people from the ship, 
much to the surprise of the villagers. He then announced 
himself as governor, and named the place Elizabethtown in 
honor of the wife of Sir George Carteret. This may be con- 
sidered the beginning of the State of New Jersey. 

Afterwards Lord Berkeley sold West Jersey, and the 
heirs of George Carteret sold East Jersey to a body of 
Quakers. William Penn, who became famous in Pennsyl- 
vania, was one of those who purchased George Carteret's 
share. 

Settlers came promptly to this rich territory. A number 
of towns were built. Crops of wheat, berries, and peaches 
were found to be valuable ; wild turkey, deer, and fish supplied 



New Jersey and Delaware 87 

the tables with meat. The two colonies gi'ew rapidly and 
prospered. 

After a while the new owners of East Jersey and West 
Jersey, who were called the proprietors, grew tired of their 
charge, and gave up their rights of jurisdiction in 1702. The 
two Jerseys were then united and called New Jersey, and gov- 
ernors were appointed directly by the Crown. 

Let us now see how Delaware was also made out of some 
of the territory that had been acquired from the Dutch. 

Peter Minuit, who had been governor in New Netherlands, 
entered the service of Sweden, and was engaged 
to bring over a body of Swedes to America ^eginnings of 

^ ■' _ Delaware 

and find them a place to live. In 1638 he 
brought them over and settled at a place he named Chris- 
tina, in honor of the young queen of Sweden. 

When Stuyvesant became governor of New Amsterdam, 
as New York was first called, he came down the coast with 
a big force of men, captured the Swedish fort, took the officers 
off to New Amsterdam, and made all the Swedes swear 
fidelity to Holland. This broke up the Swedish colony, and 
the Dutch remained in possession of the territory. 

When the Dutch in turn gave up their possessions to the 
English, the Duke of York claimed this territory along with 
all the other lands held by the Dutch. William Penn ob- 
tained from the Duke a grant of lands covering most of the 
State of Delaware. The territory granted to Penn was called 
" The Three Lower Counties of the Delaware." 

The people living in these counties, who were Swedes, 
Dutch, and a few English from Massachusetts, came under 
the government of Pennsylvania, and remained so until the 
Revolution. This is the early history of the State of Dela- 
ware. 



88 American History 

Questions. To whom was given the territory captured from the 
Dutch? Between whom did the Duke of York divide a portion of this 
territory ? What name was given it ? What can you say of the towns ? 
Describe the arrival of PhiHp Carteret. What name did he give the 
town ? 

Who bought the two Jerseys from their owners? What famous man 
was among the purchasers ? What prosperity followed ? What did the 
new proprietors do in 1702? Into what were the two Jerseys united? 
What had Peter Minuit been engaged to do ? Where did he locate his 
colony? How and by whom was this colony broken up? By whom 
were these lands now claimed? What grant did William Penn obtain? 
What was it called? Under what government did the people remain 
until the Revolution? 

"Written Work. Write the story of the arrival of Carteret. 



LESSON 24 
THE QUAKERS AND WILLIAM PENN 

We have now to tell the story of still another sort of people 
who suffered for conscience' sake and who came to America 
to find a place of refuge. These belonged to the Society of 
Friends, or Quakers as they are better known. 

The Quakers went even further than the Puritans in the 
simpHcity of their faith and hfe. They hved on the simplest 
food, and dressed in the plainest clothes. They would give 
no man a title, but always called him by his name. They 
said '' thee " and " thou " to each other instead of " you." 
They kept on their hats no matter where they were, even in 
the king's presence. They would not go to law 
thToriers about anything, and did not believe in war. They 
were a people of peace, and never returned a blow 
or used an oath. They believed in equahty and brotherly 



The Quakers and William Penn 89 

love, and lived by the Bible. They called everybody 
" Friend," and treated all alike. 

The Quakers were very unpopular in England. They 
were hooted at by the people, who made all kinds of sport 
of their somber brown dress, broad-brimmed hats, and simple 
ways. The Quakers were forbidden by law to hold a meet- 
ing within live miles of any town. They were indeed a per- 
secuted and despised sect. 

Among their number was a young man named William 
Penn, who belonged to a distinguished family. 
His father was an admiral in the navy and a -wiuiam Penn 
great friend of the king. When Penn was a 
boy he was very religious. While at college he met a Quaker 
who had great influence over him. 

He was much impressed with the simple faith and life of 
this new sect of religious people. He rebelled at wearing the 
long gowns that the students of the college wore. He even 
went so far as to tear the gown from one of his fellow students, 
saying it made him look like a Cathohc priest. For this 
offense he was expelled. 

Penn's father was mortified at all this, for he wished his 
son to lead a gay life and be known at court. He was so 
afraid William would become a Quaker that he sent him 
over to Paris to enter society there. The young Penn was 
not tempted by the hfe in that city, but remained as good 
and pious as he was in London. When he returned to London 
he joined the Quakers, became one of their leaders, and wrote 
many rehgious books. This method of hfe made his father 
so angry that he drove him away from home. 

William Penn now turned his attention to finding a place 
in America where the Quakers could go and live in the way 
that pleased them. His father died and left him an estate of 



go American History 

$80,000, which was in the form of a debt owed by the king. 
The king did not have the money, and was glad enough 

to give Penn a large tract of land west of the Dela- 
r^anted^ ware River in payment of the debt. The grant 

covered 40,000 square miles. By the signing 
of the king's name Penn became one of the largest land 
owners of the world. It was a vast and princely domain. 
Penn wished it to be named Sylvania, which means Wood- 
land. The king agreed to this, but quietly wrote the word 
Penn before it, saying, " It shall be called Pennsylvania, 
in honor of the admiral, your father." 

William Penn and King Charles. A short time after Charles IT 
became king of England, William Penn, who had become a Quaker, was 
granted an audience. When Penn entered the room he found the king 
standing with his hat on, as was the custom, surrounded by his courtiers 
who were uncovered. They were vying with each other as to who could 
most flatter the king, and do him the greatest honor. 

Penn came forward with his hat on. Instantly the king removed his 
own hat and bowed very low with much deference. " Why dost thou 
remove thy hat? " asked Penn of the king. " Because it is the custom 
of this court for only one man to remain covered," explained King 
Charles. 

Questions. What can you say of the Quakers? How did they live ? 
How did they dress? How did they address each other? What were 
some of their other customs ? How were they treated in England ? 

What can you say of the early life of William Penn ? For what offense 
was he expelled from school? How did Penn's father feel towards him? 
Where did he send him? What did Penn do? What did his father now 
do? To what did Penn now turn his attention? How did he obtain 
the grant for a tract of land in America? What name was given it? 
What does the name mean? Tell the story of William Penn and his 
interview with King Charles. 

Written Work. Describe the customs of the Quakers. Write the 
story of William Penn. 



The Settlement of Pennsylvania 91 

LESSON 25 
THE SETTLEMENT OF PENNSYLVANIA 

As we have already seen, William Penn had become in- 
terested in sending over to America the Quakers who had 
settled in Jersey on land which they had bought from the 
proprietors. 

Three vessels were sent out by Penn from England in 
1 68 1, but one of them was frozen hard in the Delaware 
River. Penn himself sailed one year later with about 
one hundred colonists, and landed on the shores of Penn- 
sylvania. 

He sent word to the Delaware Indians to meet him for the 
purpose of forming a treaty of friendship. The Indians 
gladly came, and on the day appointed great p , ^ t 
crowds of warriors, with their wives and chil- 
dren, assembled to listen to Penn. Presents were distrib- 
uted and a price for the lands was agreed upon. 

The Indians promised to live in peace with the whites. 
Their chief shook hands with the great leader of the Quakers, 
and a treaty of friendship was made that lasted for many 
years. The Indians and the Quakers hunted and fished 
together, their children played together, and each went 
safely in and out of the villages and homes of the other. 

Philadelphia was laid out in 1683. Its name means 

" Brotherly Love." In two years it had six hun- ^ , ^. 

■' , -' . Philadelphia 

dred houses, and at one time was a larger city 
than New York. In a single year as many as seven thou- 
sand people came into the Quaker colony. 

Penn himself was only thirty-seven years old when he 
came to America. After a while, he went back to England, 
where misfortune overtook him. He was often imprisoned, 



92 



American History 




The Settlement of Pennsylvania 93 

and was once accused of being a traitor. This accusation 
was not true, and at last he was allowed to live in peace. 
He was one of the most upright of men, temperate in all 
things, pure in thought and language. 

The colony of Pennsylvania grew and prospered. At last 
it became necessary to settle the boundary line on the south. 
Boundaries were then very uncertain. In 1767, 
long after Penn had died, the dividing line was pj^on's Line 
run by two surveyors named Mason and Dixon. 
Every mile was marked by a stone. This line became the 
boundary between Pennsylvania and Maryland, and is often 
spoken of as " Mason and Dixon's Line." Later on it became 
famous as a dividing line between the states of the North, 
where there were no slaves, and the states of the South, where 
negroes were still held in slavery. 

Questions. When did William Penn sail to America? How many 
colonists were with him? What was his first duty? What tribe of 
Indians met him? For what purpose? Describe the meeting between 
Penn and the Indians. What did the Indians promise? Was this treaty 
faithfully kept ? When was Philadelphia laid out ? What does its name 
mean? How did it prosper? How many people came into the colony 
in one year ? How old was Penn at this time ? What misfortune over- 
took him later? What is Mason and Dixon's Line? For what did it 
become famous later on? 

Written Work. Write the supposed conversation between William 
Penn and the chief of the Delaware Indians. 



94 American History 

LESSON 26 
THE SETTLEMENT OF THE CAROLINAS 

By this time the English colonies had gradually spread 
out over the country, from New Hampshire to Virginia, 
and some of the present states were beginning to take shape 
and name. We must not forget that the French were holding 
the territory along the St. Lawrence River, and that the 
Spaniards were still in Florida. 

Between Virginia and Florida there was a large tract of 
land that England still claimed, to which few settlers had 
as yet gone. New England and the middle colonies were 
growing fast, but the vast regions in the South were hardly 
touched. 

The king of England, Charles the Second, desired to reward 
his friends for their loyalty to his cause. He selected eight 
of his friends, among them the Duke of Albe- 
granted" ^^^ marie and the Earl of Clarendon, and gave them, 
in 1663, all the land between Virginia and Florida. 
This was indeed a great gift, and out of it three great states 
have been made, but at that time it was called Carolina in 
honor of Charles the Second, and of his father Charles the 
First. 

Among the first settlers in this territory we find many of 

the Virginians, eager for the wild life of the frontier, looking 

for fertile farms, and seeking adventures in the 

The settlers 

deep forests. They came across the border and 
settled upon land that is now in the State of North 
Carolina. 

They put up rude huts along the river banks, cleared a few 
acres, bought a slave or two, planted tobacco, hunted and 
fished, and lived the free life of the early pioneer. Among 



The Settlement of the Carolinas 95 

these were some Quakers who had drifted down from Penn- 
sylvania, and who were hurried along by the more warlike 
Virginians. These settlers came into this territory from time 
to time before it was separated into a distinct colony. 

In order to provide laws for this country, a famous phi- 
losopher named John Locke was asked to draw up a model 
system of government. Although Locke's sys- 
tem was called the '' Grand Model," it was a ^0^^'*'"'^ 
foolish plan of having lords, earls, and barons 
to own the land, while the people were to be mere tenants and 
dependents. 

The people who came to Carolina were too free in their 
ideas to be under such a system. Men who live in log houses, 
light Indians, and brave the dangers of a wilderness, are not 
wilhng to be the tenants or dependents of anybody. So the 
Grand Model was a failure, and after twenty years' trial it 
was abandoned. 

At first there was no purpose to make two colonies; but 
it so happened that the first colonies were planted far apart. 
Some colonists settled along Albemarle Sound, 
and near the Virginia line. Other colonists ^^y°^^ 
settled farther south, near the present city of 
Charleston. This made much trouble in appointing the 
governors, so that sometimes there was one governor and 
sometimes there were two. 

The Lords Proprietors, as the owners in England were 
called, did not care anything for the colonies except to get as 
much money out of them as possible. Their rule was very 
unpopular with the people who came into the land. After 
more than fifty years had passed, and Carolina had become 
well settled and established, these proprietors turned over 
their government to the Crown. The two Carolinas were 



96 American History 

then divided into North CaroHna and South Carolina, and 
each became a separate royal province. This was in 1729. 

Questions. What can you say of the English colonies up to this 
time? Where were the French and Spanish colonies? What can you 
say of the regions in the South? How did King Charles reward his 
friends? What name was given to the land? What can you say of the 
first settlers? How did they begin their frontier life? Who were among 
these settlers? Who drew up the "Grand Model"? Describe it. 
Why was it unpopular? Where were the early colonies planted? 
What difficulties arose? What did the Lords Proprietors do after 
fifty years? Into what divisions was Carolina divided? 

Written "Work. Write a short description of the Grand Model, and 
tell why it was a failure. 



LESSON 27 
MORE ABOUT THE CAROLINAS 

The settlements along Albemarle Sound were organized 

into the county of Albemarle. Other settlements along the 

Cape Fear River were organized into the county 

North Carolina , , , . . , 

of Clarendon. These two counties were united 
under one government and called North Carolina. 

The people were allowed in the main to manage their 
own affairs. They were dissatisfied at first because they 
were not allowed to own their farms as the people of Vir- 
ginia did, but as soon as the ownership of farms was permitted, 
peace was restored. 

In the territory of North Carolina there lived at one time 
a tribe of Indians called the Tuscaroras. They did not like 
Trouble with ^° ^^^ ^^'^^ white men settling on their hunting 
the Tuscaro- grounds and fishing in their rivers. One day a 
ras,i7ii-i7i3 p^j-ty of savages captured John Lawson, who 
was the surveyor-general of the colony, and burned him to 



More about the Carolinas 97 

death. The savages then attacked the farms and killed many 
families who were not near the villages. This brought on a 
dreadful war which lasted two years. The Tuscaroras were 
completely defeated and driven out of the state. 

The homes of the people of North Carolina were generally 
on large farms, and far apart. There were no good roads as 
we have nowadays, and travelers found their way 
through the forest by following marks on the trees, the^peo^e 
The people raised tobacco mainly, which was 
floated down the streams on small rafts to ships that lay 
in the harbors. Cattle were raised in the rich bottom-lands. 

From the great pine forests the settlers obtained tar, pitch, 
and turpentine, which were put into barrels, floated on rafts 
to the harbors, and sent to England. From the beginning of 
the colony, tobacco and the products of the pine forests have 
been among the chief sources of wealth of the people. The 
colony grew so rapidly that by the time of the Revolution 
it was the fourth in size among the thirteen colonies that 
rebelled against England. 

The first settlers on the territory of South Carolina were 

people who came over from England in 1670 and started a 

town on the Ashley River. They named their „ , „ .. 

■' •' , , South Carolina 

settlement Charlestown, or Charleston as it is now 

called, in honor of Charles, who was then king of England. 

A few years after the landing, the town was moved to a place 

between the Ashley and Cooper rivers. 

The fact that everybody was given freedom in the matter 

of religion encouraged many settlers. EngUshmen came 

from the islands owned by England in the West Indies ; 

Dutchmen came down from New York when that colony 

passed into the hands of the English; and many colonists 

came over from the mother country. 



98 American History 

A large number of Huguenots (Hu'ge nots), who were 
Protestants persecuted in France for their religion, came over 
and settled in America. 

Many of them were of the best people in France, well 
educated and good citizens. A company of these Huguenots 
came to South Carolina, and from them have descended 
some of the best families in that state. 

One of the trading vessels brought to Charleston some 
grains of rice from the island of Madagascar. These were 
planted by the colonists on the rich lowlands along the coast. 
The climate and soil proved to be so well adapted 
to rice that in a short time its culture became 
one of the main occupations of the people, and has remained 
so ever since. 

In order to cultivate the rice, negro slaves were brought 
into the colony. This labor proved as well adapted to rice, 
as rice had proved adapted to the soil. 

The planters of South Carolina soon became people of 
wealth. Many of them had handsome homes in Charleston, 
which for a long time was the only city. The plantations 
were worked by negro slaves, who were comfortably cared for 
and well treated by their masters and overseers. 

Questions. What were the first two counties of North Carolina? 
With what were the farmers at first dissatisfied? How were the Tus- 
caroras subdued? What can you say of the homes of the people? 
How did travelers find their way through the forests? What did the 
people raise ? What can you say of the growth of North Carolina ? 

Where was the first settlement in South Carolina, and when ? What 
encouraged many settlers? What can you say of the Huguenots? 
Where was rice brought from? What can you say of its culture? 
What can you say of the Carolina planters? 

Written Work. Write a short description of the home and life of 
the people of the Carolinas. 



The Settlement of Georgia 99 

LESSON 28 
THE SETTLEMENT OF GEORGIA 

Between South Carolina and the Spanish settlements 
in Florida there still remained a large tract of country unoc- 
cupied by either the English or the Spaniards, and yet claimed 
by both nations. We are now to see how this territory was 
settled by the English and became the last of the colonies 
that composed the original thirteen states. 

Many of the laws of England at this time were hard and 
oppressive. One of these laws allowed a creditor to put a 
debtor in prison if he could not pay his debts. Nowadays no 
one thinks of trying to imprison a poor man who owes money 
he cannot pay, but in those days the prisons of England 
were full of unfortunate debtors. 

There was an English philanthropist by the name of James 

Oglethorpe who became greatly interested in these poor 

people. He resolved to ask the king for a grant 
r 1 , • A . T T^, • , , o 1 Oglethorpe 

of land m America, between Florida and South 
Carolina, where he would found a colony on the land claimed 
by the English for poor and worthy people to find work and 
homes. The grant of land was secured, and the new colony 
was named Georgia in honor of George II, who was then king 
of England. 

Oglethorpe decided to go to America himself with the 
colonists. He set about getting his emigrants, selecting 
them carefully from the great number that applied. He 
finally set sail from England with thirty-five families. In 
February, 1733, they sailed up the Savannah River, 
and founded the town of Savannah, eighteen miles from 
the mouth of the river. 

The colonists at once set to work cutting down trees, 



lOO 



American History 



building cabins, and laying out the streets of their town. 
Oglethorpe pitched a tent under a tree, where he lived for a 
year, helping the colonists to estabhsh their homes and 
build their town. 

As soon as the colonists landed, Oglethorpe made a 
treaty of peace and friendship with the Indians. The old 
Indian chief, Tomochichi (To'mo che'che), gave him a buf- 
falo skin with the head and feathers of an eagle 
painted on it, saying : " The eagle means speed, 
and the buffalo means strength. The feathers are soft and 
mean love. The skin is warm and means protection. 



Tomochichi 



l^^is^"^ 


K^V 


BBBH^^. ^^ 


^IHHv jflite m 




P^WB 


Hi 


!3W 






^^^ 




V- ^n 




S^^ 



The Indians present Oglethorpe with a buffalo robe in token of a 
treaty of peace 



Therefore love and protect our little families." This treaty 
was faithfully kept by the whites and Indians for many 
years. 

Ships soon arrived bringing over new colonists. A body 



The Settlement of Georgia loi 

of German Protestants, called Salzburghers, were given a 
place on the Savannah River for their town, 

The colonists 

which they named Lbenezer. Jews also came 
to Savannah and were given a home in the new colony. 
Later on a body of Scotch Highlanders settled in Georgia. 
Georgia thus opened her doors to all good people from 
everywhere, and the oppressed of all lands were welcome. 

Among those who came over to Georgia were John and 
Charles Wesley and George Whitefield, three great preachers. 
John Wesley came to preach to the colonists and to the 
Indians. George Whitefield founded a noted Orphan Asylum 
near Savannah.^ 

In the course of four years over a thousand persons came 
into Georgia, and nearly sixty thousand acres of Progress of 
land were granted to settlers for farms. Five Georgia 
towns were built, including the present city of Augusta. 
Forts had been erected along the principal rivers and on the 
coast, and treaties had been made with the Indians. 

The Spaniards in Florida by no means relished the idea of 
an Enghsh settlement in Georgia. They claimed the land 
and still called it Florida. The king of Spain sent word to 
the king of England to allow no more forts to be built, and 
to send no more colonists to Georgia. When the message 

* George Whitefield was ver>' eloquent in raising money for his asylum. 
Benjamin Franklin wrote : 

"I happened soon after to attend one of his sermons, in the course of 
which I perceived he intended to finish with a collection, and I silently 
resolved that he should get nothing from me. I had in my pocket a handful 
of copper money, three or four silver dollars, and five pistoles of gold. As 
he proceeded I began to soften, and concluded to give the copper. Another 
stroke of oratory made me ashamed of that and determined me to give the 
silver ; and he finished so admirably that I emptied my pocket wholly into the 
collector's dish, gold and all." 



I02 American History 

was read in the King's Council, one of the members remarked, 
" This message should be answered by a fleet of battle ships 
on the coast of Spain." Spain threatened to invade Georgia. 
Then England declared war. 

Oglethorpe did not wait for the Spaniards to attack Sa- 
vannah, but raised an army and proceeded to attack them 
in St. Augustine. He besieged the town, but could not cap- 
ture it. He then withdrew his men, and went back to 
Savannah. The Spaniards shortly afterwards returned his 
visit with a large body of soldiers. 

Oglethorpe went down the coast to meet the invaders, 
and a bloody battle occurred in which the Spaniards were 
defeated, though they greatly outnumbered the 
inv^asi^n"^^ English. Oglethorpe laid a trap for the Spaniards 
by sending a letter into their camp by one of his 
prisoners, addressed to a deserter, telling him to keep the 
Spaniards in Georgia as long as he could, and to deceive 
them as to the size of his army. 

The letter went straight to the Spanish commander, who 
hastened to pack up his forces and leave Georgia as quickly 
as he could. Oglethorpe had only seven hundred men, and 
the Spaniards had live thousand. This ended the Spanish 
invasion of Georgia. 

After the colony was well established, Oglethorpe went 
back to England. He lived to be ninety-six years of age, 
loved and honored by all who knew him. He 
o^fethore°^ hved to see Georgia an independent state. 
When the war of the Revolution occurred he 
was offered command of all the English forces sent to sub- 
due the colonies, but he refused, saying he knew the Ameri- 
cans well ; that " they never would be subdued by force, but 
that obedience would be secured by doing them justice." 



The Original Thirteen Colonies 103 

Questions. Describe the territory between the Carolinas and 
Florida. What can you say of the EngUsh laws regarding debt ? What 
did Oglethorpe resolve to do ? What name was given the land ? When 
was Savannah founded? Describe the industry of the colonists. 

What treaty was made with the Indians ? What did Tomochichi say 
in presenting the buffalo skin ? What other colonists came to Georgia ? 
What can you say of John and pharles Wesley? What of George 
Whitefield ? What prosperity was shown in four years ? Why and how 
did England declare war with Spain? What did Oglethorpe do? How 
did Oglethorpe la'y a trap for the Spaniards? What can you say of the 
last days of Oglethorpe? 

Written Work. Write the story of how Oglethorpe deceived the 
Spaniards. 



LESSON 29 
THE ORIGINAL THIRTEEN COLONIES 

We have learned how different nations founded colonies in 
America. We have seen that the Spaniards settled in Florida, 
the French in Canada, and that the English colonies extended 
all the way between them from Maine to Georgia. 

These early colonies were composed of small towns scat- 
tered along the seacoasts and rivers, while the great interior 
of America was as yet a wild and unknown country. It was 
many years before the white men knew about the great 
rivers, forests, and plains that lay between the two oceans. 

The first foothold the English had in America was in 
Virginia. All other efforts failed until Jamestown was 
settled in 1607. Virginia was the first of the -j-j^^ 0^^031 
original thirteen colonies, and was settled by thirteen 
Englishmen seeking homes, wealth, freedom, and *^° °^^^ 
adventure in the great new country of which all the world 
was talking at the time. 



I04 American History 

Then in 1620 came the Pilgrims to Massachusetts. After 
the Pilgrims, came the Puritans, who were very much Uke 
them. From this beginning, all the New England colonies 
developed by the spreading out of settlements in many 
directions. New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Connecticut 
became colonies in this way, as later on did the states farther 
along the northern coasts. 

Then the Dutch came to New York, but were not allowed 
to stay there, for the English in New England would not 
permit other nations to have colonies in their neighborhood. 
We have seen how the territory of New Jersey became a 
great colony by grants to two English noblemen and by 
the absorption of Swedish settlers who had come there to 
live. Maryland was then started as a colony for the Roman 
Catholics under the good Lord Baltimore. 

Pennsylvania became the home of the Quakers in 1681, 
under the leadership of William Penn, who afterwards added 
to his colony the territory now called the State of Delaware. 

North Carolina and South Carolina were settled next by 
Englishmen, though for a time they were but one colony 
called Carolina. Finally Georgia, the last of the original 
thirteen colonies, was settled by Oglethorpe, who brought over 
a body of poor people who could not pay their debts in Eng- 
land. 

The names of the thirteen original colonies are : New 
Hampshire, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New 
York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Vir- 
ginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia. 

It was clear that most of the English colonies in America 
were composed of people who were seeking to escape the 
severe laws of the Old World, and who wanted a land of 
freedom and opportunity in which to live in their own way. 



The Original Thirteen Colonies 105 

The Puritans in New England, the Cathohcs in Maryland, 
the Quakers in Pennsylvania, the Huguenots in South Caro- 
lina, the imprisoned debtors and the Germans in Georgia, all 
came to America to obtain freedom from oppressive laws. 




Quakers 

<»=pEMiH5YLVAniA 

In America every man was free to worship in his own way 

Naturally we find these colonies at the very beginning 
having laws that gave men freedom in every possible way. 
A man might here belong to any church he chose, 
and worship God in any way that pleased him. fj-eedom 
In England there were two hundred crimes for 
which a man might be put to death ; in Pennsylvania there 
was only one, that of murder. In England a man's oldest 
son inherited all the property ; in nearly all the colonies 
the children inherited alike. In all the colonies there was a 
practice that a man should enjoy the benefit of his own 
labors, and should pay as small a tax as was possible to 
support the government. 



I 06 American History 

America, then, became a land of liberty-loving and liberty- 
seeking people, who would rather come to wild and for- 
bidding shores, brave the dangers of the seas and the terror 
of savages, the possibility of starvation, the cold of the winter 
and the discomfort of a new country, than Hve under laws 
that were oppressive and unjust. 

With this beginning, America has grown to be a country 
Ameri a ^^ ^^^^ institutions, where one may be free in 

the land of his religion, free in his speech, free in his choice 
freedom ^£ work, free to come and go and do as he pleases, 

so long as he does not break any of the laws that were made 
to protect him and his neighbors. 

A great writer said that " America is another name for 
America Opportunity," and so the first settlers found it. 

the land of So shall we to-day find it if only we look around 
opportumty ^^^ ^^^ enjoy the freedom our forefathers sought 
and gained, and, like them, are brave, industrious, and upright 
citizens. 

Questions. What nations founded colonies in America? Where 
did these nations make these settlements? What was the location 
of the early colonies? Describe the interior. Where did the English 
gain their first foothold? Where next? What other colonies grew out 
of the Massachusetts colony ? Who settled New York ? How was New 
Jersey settled? Maryland? Who founded Pennsylvania? What can 
you say of North Carolina? South Carolina? Georgia? Name the 
thirteen original colonies. 

With what purpose were most of the English colonies founded? 
What kind of laws were made in the new country? What were some 
of the oppressive laws the people escaped from ? What kind of people, 
then, do we find as our first settlers ? What kind of country has America 
grown to be? What can you say of our opportunity here? 

Written Work. Write the names of the original thirteen colonies. 



Topical Analysis 107 

TOPICAL ANALYSIS 

Before the Coming of Columbus. The general belief concerning the 
shape of the earth ; the dreaded seas ; trade routes to the East ; the ex- 
plorations of the Norsemen ; the Norse Sagas. 

Christopher Columbus. His early life ; a seaway to India ; his disap- 
pointments ; Ferdinand and Isabella ; the first voyage ; discovery of land ; 
his other voyages ; his last days. 

Other Explorers. John Cabot ; Americvis Vespucius ; Balboa ; Ma- 
gellan. 

The Indians. Origin; appearance; clothing; the women; tribes; 
wigwams ; warfare ; religion ; treaties. 

Spanish Explorers and Settlers. Ponce de Leon ; Hernando de Soto ; 
St. Augustine founded ; Santa Fe founded. 

French Explorers and Settlers. Verrazano ; Jacques Cartier ; Samuel 
de Champlain ; Quebec founded. 

English Settlers in Virginia. Sir Walter Raleigh and his colonies; 
the English Companies ; Jamestown ; hardships ; Captain John Smith ; 
Pocahontas ; the starving time ; Sir Thomas Gates ; Lord Delaware ; 
tobacco ; wives ; the new charter ; the first Colonial Assembly ; slavery 
introduced ; Indian massacre. 

English Settlers in New England. The Pilgrims ; Plymouth ; hard- 
ships ; Samoset and Squanto ; Canonicus ; Miles Standish ; the Puritans ; 
Boston founded ; John Winthrop ; New Hampshire and Maine ; Roger 
Williams ; Anne Hutchinson ; Thomas Hooker. 

The Dutch in New York. Henry Hudson ; the Indians ; New Amster- 
dam ; New Netherlands ; Peter Stuyvesant ; Dutch life ; English take 
possession. 

Maryland. Lord Baltimore ; his powers ; St. Mary's founded ; trouble 
with the Virginians. 

New Jersey and Delaware. Berkeley and Carteret ; Elizabethtown ; 
Peter Minuit ; beginning of Delaware. 

Pennsylvania. The Quakers ; William Penn ; Pennsylvania granted ; 
Penn's Treaty ; Philadelphia ; Mason and Dixon's line. 

The Carolinas. The territory granted ; the settlers ; the Grand Model ; 
Carolina divided ; the Tuscaroras ; life of the people ; Charleston. 

Georgia. Oglethorpe; Savannah founded; Tomochichi; other colo- 
nists ; the Spanish invasion. 



PERIOD OF ESTABLISHMENT 



LESSON 30 
PROGRESS OF VIRGINIA 

At the time the Pilgrims came to New England, Virginia 
was a flourishing colony of four thousand people, living in 
eleven separate settlements, called by the old EngHsh name of 
boroughs. 

In 1624 the king took away the charter of the London 
Company, and Virginia became a royal province. Its gov- 
ernors were appointed by the king, though the people were 
still allowed to make many of their laws. 

A great many of the friends of the king of England, who 
were called Cavaliers, came over and settled in Virginia. 
In England many of the Cavaliers had been 
in Virrinfa^^'^^ country gentlemen of large estates. When they 
reached Virginia, they bought large plantations, 
built beautiful homes on the banks of the rivers, planted broad 
fields of tobacco and corn, and bought many slaves to work 
the soil. 

It was quite a common thing for a planter to own his 
own wharf, where he shipped his cargo of tobacco to Eng- 
land, and bought suppUes for his own house. There was 
almost no manufacturing, for everybody preferred farming 
where land was cheap, slaves could be had in abundance, 
and the climate was so delightful. 

In 1642 Sir William Berkeley (Berk'li) became the gov- 

108 



Progress of Virginia 109 

ernor of Virginia. He was an aristocrat who cared very little 
for the ordinary people. He was fond of fine clothes and 
high living. He was a brave soldier, a merciless 
judge, and a devoted friend of the king. He 55^1^5 Jgy 
did not believe in education, and said that he 
thanked God there were no free schools and printing presses 
in Virginia. 

In 1670, about the time the Dutch were driven from New 
York, and before Pennsylvania was settled at all, Virginia 
had forty thousand inhabitants. Berkeley was 

A foolish law 

still governor, and was very unpopular. The 

king had made a law that no Virginian should send any 

tobacco out of the country except in an Enghsh ship, nor 

buy anything from any country except England. This law 

put the planters at the mercy of the English traders, who 

paid very little for tobacco and charged very high for 

supplies. 

In addition to these laws, the foolish king actually gave 
away all the territory of Virginia to two of his favorites, 
Lord Arlington and Lord Culpepper. But this gift amounted 
to nothing, for two men could hardly come over and 
take possession of a vast territory and forty thousand 
people. 

To make matters worse the Indians began to give trouble. 
In 1676 they rose and began to massacre the people. It was 
a terrible attack, and Governor Berkeley refused 
to send any soldiers to fight them. The people the Indian *^ 
begged him to send troops to protect the farms 
and drive away the savages, but he refused. At last the 
people took matters into their own hands. 

A wealthy lawyer, Nathaniel Bacon, was selected as the 
leader. Raising a body of soldiers, he went to fight the 



I lO 



American History 



Indians. He was so successful in his attack that the 

people obeyed him instead of the governor, and asked him 
to make laws for them. Governor Berkeley 

RebeUion became indignant, and proclaimed Bacon a 
rebel. This action caused such a storm of nro- 

test from the people that the governor was forced to be 

more reasonable. 

As soon as the 
Indians started 
more depredations, 
Bacon again called 
on the governor to 
protect the people, 
and was again re- 
fused. The gover- 
nor refused him a 
commission against 
the Indians. 
Bacon presented 
himself in James- 
town at the head 
of the troops and 
demanded the right 
to attack the sav- 
ages. 

A quarrel en- 
sued between 
them. In a rage 

Berkeley left the 
The people of Jamestown burn their own town . ^ "R a r n n 

then took charge of Jamestown and, urged by the principal 
inhabitants, set fire to the town in order to keep Berkeley 




Progress of Virginia 1 1 1 

from getting it. Some of the soldiers in Bacon's command 
owned houses, to which they applied the torch themselves. 
This incident is called " Bacon's Rebellion." 

Sad to relate, Bacon was seized with a fever and died a 
short time afterwards. Berkeley came back to the almost 
destroyed city, and mercilessly hunted down those who had 
been the followers of the brave young leader. He hanged 
twenty-two and kept others in prison. 

When one of Bacon's friends fell into Berkeley's hands, the 
governor said, " I am very glad to see you. You shall be 
hanged in a half hour," and so it happened. Soon after, 
the king called Berkeley back to England, saying, " That old 
fool has hanged more people in that naked country than I 
did for the murder of my father." 

The capital of Virginia was moved to Williamsburg, and 
Jamestown went into decay. Those who travel up the 
James River now may see an old vine-covered capital 
tower, which is the ruin of one of the churches, moved to 
It is all that is left to mark the spot where the Williamsburg 
first permanent English settlement in America was made. 

Questions. How large was Virginia at the time the Pilgrims came to 
New England ? How was the colony divided ? Who were the Cavaliers ? 
How did they live in Virginia ? What kind of man was Sir William 
Berkeley ? What law did the king make about tobacco ? What other 
foolish thing did he do ? What trouble arose with the Indians ? 

Who was Nathaniel Bacon ? How did he defy the governor ? What 
became of Jamestown ? What is this incident called ? What became of 
Bacon? How did Berkeley treat Bacon's followers? What became 
of Berkeley ? What did the king say of him ? What can you say of 
the ruins of Jamestown ? 

Written Work. Write a short account of Nathaniel Bacon. 



1 1 2 American History 

LESSON 31 
INDIAN NEIGHBORS 

While all these white settlements were growing and 
spreading, the red men of the forest looked on in W'Onder 
and often in distrust. The white men generally tried to be 
friendly with the Indians. Going into their villages, they 
made them presents of axes, tools, and gaudy jewelry. In 
return the Indians wandered through the white settlements, 
bringing furs, corn, meat, tobacco, and other articles to sell. 
They came without notice and stayed without fear. In all 
the villages from New England to Georgia it was a familiar 
sight to see any number of Indians standing around or sitting 
on the ground offering their wares for sale. 

The Indians taught the white men many useful things 

about the woods and the wild life of the New World. They 

taught them how to make snowshoes broad and 

What the '^ 

Indians hght, SO that a man could not only walk but 

taught the could actually run on the top of the deep snow. 

white men i i i ^ ^ c 

They taught them how to make a canoe out oi 
birch bark, so light that a man could carry it on his back, 
but so strong that it could hold two men and shoot the rapids 
of a river. 

The white men learned all the tricks of imitating the 
cries of the wild turkey, of stalking the deer by day and by 
night, of spearing fish in the rivers, of hunting in scattered 
parties, of lying concealed in the bushes, of travehng 
through the woods single file so that many men made the 
track of but one by stepping carefully in the same foot- 
prints. The white settlers soon became almost as skilled in 
woodcraft as the Indians themselves. 

Many white men were anxious to convert the Indians to 



Indian Neighbors 113 

Christianity. John Eliot, a preacher in Massachusetts, who 
was called '' the Apostle to the Indians," translated the 
Bible into their language, and preached the gospel 

^ ^ ' ^ ^^ John EUot 

to thousands of them. His sermons were long, 

often lasting two or three hours, and he had to keep his 

audience awake by distributing food and presents while he 

preached. 

It was said that there were four thousand converted 
Indians in Massachusetts at one time. These were called 
" praying Indians " by the others. The medicine men and 
the chiefs did not look with much favor on this kind of 
religion, because it would keep the Indians from murder 
and scalping, and other occupations agreeable to the savage 
nature. 

In addition to this, schools were introduced among the 
savages, and many of them were taught to read and write. 
Strict justice was enforced regarding the buying of lands from 
the Indians. No land was ever taken from them without their 
price being paid for it, though their price was often a trifle. 

The Indians, however, were treacherous, arid the colonists 
had to be always on their guard. The settlers who lived on 
farms were in constant fear that the savages 
who appeared so friendly might at any time turn j^dians 
into deadly enemies, murdering their families 
and burning their homes. It was against the law for a white 
man to sell an Indian a gun, to give him powder, or sell 
him whisky to drink. Unfortunately those laws were not 
obeyed. The Indians had guns and powder in abundance, 
and soon learned to be wonderful marksmen. They also 
learned to drink whisky, and became dangerous neigh- 
bors when drunk. The Indians did not know how to make 
powder, and thought it grew in the ground. They planted 



114 



American History 



some for seed, and could not understand why it did not 
sprout like any other seed. 

To protect themselves, nearly all the small villages had 
blockhouse forts, and in addition were surrounded by a 
tall wooden fence. The gates and doors were closed at 
night, and a guard was constantly on watch against the In- 
dians. If signs of Indians appeared to the farmers outside the 




A blockhouse often stood upon an eminence for increased protection 
against the Indians 

villages, one of them would quickly and silently go to his neigh- 
bors and say, " Indians ! Indians! " A tap on the window at 
night and the dreaded news of warning were enough to arouse 
the households. Quietly the women and children stole through 
the darkness into the fort, or blockhouse, for protection. The 
men would then arm themselves and go into the bushes or 
woods and find whether savages were lurking about. In spite 



Indian Wars in New England i 15 

of all precautions there were many dreadful massacres, and 
Indian wars were of frequent occurrence. 

Collateral Reading. " The Last of the Mohicans," by Cooper. " The 
Yemassee," by Simms. 

Questions. How did the red men look upon the white settlements? 
How were the Indians generally treated? Describe the friendly inter- 
course of the Indians and the white men. What were some of the things 
the Indians taught the white men ? What other things did the white men 
learn ? 

Who was John Eliot ? What can you say of his efforts to convert the 
Indians? What were the converted Indians called? How were they 
considered by the medicine men? What were the savages taught? 
What justice about lands was enforced? What was forbidden to be 
sold to the Indians ? What did the Indians think of gunpowder? How 
did the people protect themselves? Describe a warning against the 
Indians. 

Written Work. Suppose you lived in a frontier home. Write a 
description of an Indian attack and how you escaped into a blockhouse 
for protection. 



LESSON 32 

INDIAN WARS IN NEW ENGLAND 

In the valley of the Thames (Temz) River in Connecticut 
dwelt the Pequots. There were about a thousand braves. 
They made war upon the other tribes, were cruel in their 
treatment of captives, and were dreaded and hated by the 
whites and by the other Indians. 

Several white men had been murdered by the Pequots, 
and the people of Boston sent a force of men to punish 
them for it. A few Indians were killed, but this served 
only to enrage the rest, who resolved upon a general uprising 
and attack on all the white settlements. 



ii6 



American History 




Indian Wars in New England i 1 7 

They tried to get the Narragansetts to help them, but 
Roger Williams, of whom we have already studied, went 
to the tent of Canonicus and begged him not 
to join in the war. The Pequots threatened ^^ ^^^° 
the hfe of Roger Williams, but he did not care. 
He told Canonicus the white people were his brothers and 
made war on bad Indians only. Canonicus at length agreed 
not to engage in the war. 

The Pequots began their bloody work in Connecticut, 
attacking the farms and exposed settlements. They lay in 
ambush along the roads and took captive a number of white 
men, burning some of them alive, and killing the others by 
hacking them to pieces with stone hatchets. 

The English everywhere were alarmed. The Connecticut 
towns sent ninety men, and the Massachusetts towns twenty 
men. These were joined by a friendly band of Mohegan 
Indians, who had their own quarrels with the terrible Pequots. 
This band of whites and Indians set out to attack the savages, 
who had collected in a fort on the Mystic River. This was a 
mistake on the part of the Pequots, for they knew better 
how to fight in the open woods than cooped up in a close 
fort. 

Just before daybreak the attacking party crept up to the 
fort. A dog barked and aroused the sleeping Indians. The 
whites, however, were upon them. The Connecticut sol- 
diers held one entrance. The Massachusetts men and the 
Mohegans held another. Firebrands were thrown over the 
palisades, and the fort and the wigwams took fire. The 
Indians rushed out and were shot down as they came. Of 
four hundred warriors, all were killed except five. It was a 
terrible slaughter, and terrified the other Pequots. 

The remainder of the tribe tried to reach the Hudson 



ii8 



American History 



River and escape. But they were pursued and slain, until 
hardly one was left alive. The head of one of the chiefs 
was cut off and put on a pole, where it stayed to warn all 
Indians of the danger of fighting the white men. This was 
the end of the Pequots. The war occurred in 1637. 




The Pequots were pursued and slain, until hardly one was left alive 



The destruction of the Pequots brought peace for forty 
years. The Wampanoags were friendly as long as Massa- 
soit lived. Indeed, the old chief had two sons, whom he had 
baptized with the names Alexander and Philip. No matter 
what they thought about the English, they remembered the 
fate of the Pequots and pretended friendship. 

After a while Massasoit died, and Philip was chief in his 
stead. He was a proud warrior, and was called King Philip. 



Indian Wars in New England 119 

Trouble soon began. We do not know what started the 
war. It is quite certain that Philip was of a mean King Philip's 
disposition, and hated the whites, who he thought ^" 
had no right to be on the land that was once the property 
of his ancestors. 

In 1675 a band of infuriated savages attacked the village 
of Swansea, as the people were coming from church, and 




The Indians of New England began war by killing several people of 
Swansea as they came from church 



murdered several of the inhabitants. For a year the Indians 
carried on war, burning houses and killing people, all the 
way from the Connecticut River to the neighborhood of 
Boston. 

A force of a thousand white men went in pursuit of Philip 



I20 



American History 




The Indian raised tiis rifle and shot Philip through the heart 



Indian Wars in New England 121 

and the Narragansetts. They were found in the middle of 
a great swamp near South Kingston in Rhode Island. There . 
were over three thousand warriors in all. The stronghold 
of the Indians was attacked, captured, and burned, and over 
seven hundred of the Indians were slain. 

King Philip, as he was called, escaped, but was pursued 
and run down in a swamp near Mount Hope. The swamp 
was surrounded, and a party went in to capture 
him. Philip leaped to his feet when he saw j^^^ p^^jp 
his pursuers, and dashed towards a place where 
a white man with a friendly Indian was on guard. The 
Indian raised his rifle and shot Philip through the heart. 
The chief bounded in the air and fell forward in a pool of 
water. His head was cut off and put on a pole in the 
town of Plymouth, where it stayed for twenty years. The 
death of Philip ended the war. The power of the Indians 
was broken forever, and the colonies in New England had 
no more trouble from the savages. 

Colonel Goffe. The Indians attacked the town of Hadley, in Massa- 
chusetts, during King Philip's War. The men fought the Indians in the 
streets of the town for a while. They then took refuge in the church 
where the women and children had gathered. 

Just as the Indians were about to attack the church, there appeared a 
tall man with long gray hair and beard, and a sword in his hand. The 
man said, " Come, follow me." He led the attack against the savages 
with such effect that they were soon driven out of the town. The man 
then vanished as suddenly as he had appeared. The people thought 
he was an angel, and thanked God for their deliverance. 

It is supposed that the man was Colonel Goffe (Gof), who was one of 
the judges that had condemned Charles I, king of England, to death. 
Charles II, his son, had sworn to behead all the judges who had acted 
at the trial of his father, so Colonel Goffe, and possibly another one 
of the judges with him, ran away to America and lived in the 
woods. 



I 22 



American History 



Questions. Who were the Pequots? What was their character? 
What had they done? Upon what did they resolve? What influence 
did Roger WiUiams exert on Canonicus? How did the Pequots begin 
their bloody work? Describe the attack on the Indian fort and the 
destruction of the Pequots. 

How long did peace last ? What friend of the white men died ? Who 
became chief in his stead? What village was attacked in 1675 ? How was 
Philip pursued ? Describe the death of Philip. Tell the story of Colonel 
Goffe. 

Written Work. Suppose you had been present at the death of King 
Philip, and write an account of the scene. 




Colonel Goffe appears in the town of Hadley and leads the people 
against the Indians 



The Tyranny of Andros 123 

LESSON 33 
THE TYRANNY OF ANDROS 

We have seen that nearly all the colonies in America were 
founded by people seeking freedom from the rule of tyrants 
or from oppressive laws in the old country. They came to 
America to find freedom, and they did not propose to have 
any tyranny after they reached here if they could prevent 
it. 

The New England colonies, and especially Massachusetts, 
had been very independent and even defiant of the king of 
England. Indeed, in some respects Massachu- Massachu- 
setts had been almost too independent. In seek- setts loses its 
ing freedom for their own religious opinions, 
the Puritans would not allow Roger Williams, nor Anne 
Hutchinson, nor the Quakers, to stay in Massachusetts and 
have rehgious opinions of their own. They were almost as 
intolerant as the king himself. 

Some of the Massachusetts people, in dissatisfaction, 
went back to England. They found means to tell the king 
what was happening in New England. They told him that 
the people collected taxes without his permission, and had 
even given a hearty welcome and a hiding place to two of 
the judges who, while they were in England, had sentenced 
the king's father to death. 

They also said that the people did not obey the Naviga- 
tion Laws, which required all the colonists to trade only 
with English merchants and to ship their goods in English 
ships. 

All this made the king, who was Charles II, very angry. 
He found means to take away the charter of the Massachu- 
setts Company and to make the colony a royal province. 



I 24 American History 

ol which the governor should be appointed by the king. Thus 
did Massachusetts lose its charter. 

Now Charles II died, and James II became king. He 
sent over to Massachusetts, in 1686, a governor by the name 
of Sir Edmund Andros. Andros soon after- 
Andros™"" wards was made governor of all New England, 
New York, and New Jersey. He then had a 
large and royal domain, over which he was supposed to be 
absolute master. He was as much a tyrant as ever Berkeley 
was in Virginia, and we shall see that he was treated in much 
the same way. 

Andros at once told the people that they had lost their char- 
ters, that they did not own their land, and must therefore pay 
rent for it to the king. He took away from the people the 
right to make their own laws and levy their own taxes in 
town meetings. Many men were thrown into prison for 
small offenses. 

It was the rule of a tyrant upheld by the king. The 
people were loud in their complaints against Andros, but 
they could not help themselves. 

Andros went to Connecticut to seize the charter of that 
colony. He appeared in Hartford at the head of sixty 
-pjjg soldiers, and called a meeting of the towns- 

Connecticut people. He sat at a table and listened to the 
c arter arguments of the citizens against his taking 

the charter. After it grew dark candles were brought in 
and the talk went on. All this time the charter itself lay 
in a box on the table, in full sight of everybody, but closely 
watched by the people. 

At last Andros grew tired and ordered the charter to be 
given to him. At that moment some one blew out the 
candles, and the room was in complete darkness. Captain 



The Tyranny of Andros 125 

Wadsworth, one of the Hartford men, seized the precious 
paper, felt his way out of the room, and hid the charter in 
the hollow of an old oak tree near by. 

When the candles were relighted, of course the charter 
was nowhere to be seen. It lay for several years in the 
old oak tree, which ever since has been called The Charter 
Oak. This tree stood until 1856, when it was blown down 
during a violent storm. 

Andros went back to Massachusetts and continued his 
tyrannical rule. Happily this did not last very long. 
James H was no longer king, and Andros had lost his 
power. The people promptly threw him into prison and 
finally sent him back to England. 

Then the old order was restored, though the new king 
still kept the power to appoint the governor. However, 
the colonies of New England had no further trouble with 
the mother country for many years, and affairs went 
happily and prosperously from that time. 

Questions. What spirit had the New England colonists shown in 
religious matters? How had the Puritans treated those who had different 
religious beHefs? What effect did this spirit have on some people? 
What did those people tell the king? What effect did this have on the 
king? What happened to the charter of Massachusetts? 

Who was Sir Edmund Andros? Over what territory was he made 
governor? How did he act? What did he tell the people? Describe 
the way the Connecticut charter was saved. What was the old oak 
called? What became of it? What became of Andros? 

Written Work. Suppose you had been an eyewitness of the hiding 
of the charter of Connecticut, and write an account of it. 



I 26 American History 

LESSON 34 
THE FRENCH EXPLORE THE MISSISSIPPI 

We have now seen that the EngHsh colonies were planted 
along the Atlantic coast and were firmly established in the 
New World. All this time the Spaniards were still holding 
Florida, and the French had been busy in Canada and along 
the Great Lakes. 

The Indians had told of a great river to the west. No 
one knew what river it was, or into what waters it flowed. 
We are now to tell the story of how some brave French 
explorers rowed down this great river, which proved to be 
the Mississippi. 

The French had at first settled at Quebec. From there 
the traders pushed their way into the woods of Canada, and 
along the Great Lakes, making forts and settlements, buying 
furs from the Indians, and selling them whatever they asked 
for, including firearms and whisky. 

Many priests also went into the wilderness to convert the 
savages to Christianity. They lived in their villages, spoke 
their language, and from them learned of the great river that 
flowed south into an unknown sea. 

Among these priests was Father Marquette (Market'), 

who had a mission at the head of the Great Lakes. He 

resolved to explore the river of which the Indi- 

an^joUet^ ans had told him, and to preach to the Indians 

along its banks. At the same time another 

explorer, Johet (Zho lya'), was bent on exploration. 

The two men decided to go together, and in May, 1673, set 
out on their perilous voyage. With them went five other 
Frenchmen. The party went in two canoes, taking some corn 
and smoked meat for food. 



The French Explore the Mississippi i 27 

Their first course took them across the head of Lake 
Michigan and then into Green Bay. Here they landed, and 
Marquette preached to the Indians. He told them of his 
I)lans, and begged them to lend him some guides to show 
the way and help carry the canoes across the swamps. 

The guides were secured, and lifting the canoes over 
their heads, the explorers toiled overland until they came to the 
Wisconsin River. Here they again launched their boats and 
set out anew on their travels. 

It was spring, and the weather was delightful. The canoes 
passed by forests and prairies, every now and then by a 
small Indian village, and then by tall bluffs and under over- 
hanging trees. No white men had ever been on the river 
before, and a new and beautiful world was opening before the 
eyes of the bold Frenchmen. 

At night they drew up their canoes on the banks of the 
river, ate their supper of venison and buffalo flesh, with 
baked corn meal, smoked their pipes, and slept beneath the 
stars. 

In seven days they reached the broad current of the 
Mississippi River and turned their course southward. For 
many beautiful days and nights their little craft 
floated down the great stream, by fertile fields ,/.^ °""^ . 

° ' ^ Mississippi 

full of wild buffaloes, through great forests of 

dense growth, by Indian villages, where the savages were 

astonished at the strange white color of the voyagers. 

It was a long and wonderfully beautiful voyage. At last, 
after many days, the canoes arrived far down the river, at 
the mouth of the Arkansas, near the place where de Soto 
had crossed a hundred and fifty years before. 

Here the voyagers landed, and found a large Indian village. 
The Indians told them of the dangers farther down the river, 



128 American History 

of the savages to be dreaded, and persuaded the Frenchmen 
to go no farther. 

Marquette and Johet began the weary journey upstream, 
not having reached the mouth of the Mississippi. They 
had seen enough, however, to make them know that the river 
did not flow into the Pacific Ocean, but did flow into the 
Gulf of Mexico. 

Johet reached Canada and told of his exploits. Marquette 
was taken ill two years later while on a missionary tour 
among the Indians who lived along Lake Michigan. With 
two companions he set out in a canoe along the borders of 
the lake. As they passed the mouth of a small river he 
begged the party to land. They went on shore, built a hut 
of bark, and placed the dying priest under it. He died in a 
few hours. His companions dug a grave beside the hut and 
buried him. The stream by which he died long bore his 
name, but it is now borne by a larger neighboring river. 

Questions. Describe the English, Spanish, and French colonies. 
Of what river had the Indians spoken? What story are we now 
to tell? Where had the French settled? What had the traders done? 
What did the priests do? How did they Hve? What did jVIarquette 
resolve to do? Who else was bent on the same mission? Who went 
with them ? With what were they provided ? Describe the first course 
and landing. What did Marquette do? What did he ask of the In- 
dians? 

Describe the voyage down the Mississippi River. Where did the 
party arrive after many days? Who else had landed there? What did 
they find? What persuaded them to return ? What did they now know 
about the Mississippi ? What became of Joliet ? Of Marquette ? 

Written Work. If you had been on the voyage with Marquette and 
Joliet, what account would you give of the experiences of the trip ? 



The Voyage of La Salle 1 29 

LESSON 35 
THE VOYAGE OF LA SALLE 

We now come to the story of Robert La Salle (La Sal'), 
a young French nobleman, who had traveled all over Canada 
and gained much wealth by trading with the Indians. 

He resolved to finish the work that Marquette and Joliet 
had begun. He determined to explore the whole length of 
the Mississippi, to claim all the tAritory of its valley and of 
its tributaries for the French king, and to found a vast em- 
pire to the west of the English settlements. This was a 
tremendous undertaking, and we shall see how well it suc- 
ceeded. 

La Salle built a ship on the shores of Lake Erie, and sailed 
through that lake and Lake Huron. He built a fort at 
Niagara Falls, and established a base of supplies. La saiie 
Then he went down Lake Michigan and crossed explores the 
over to the Ilhnois River, where he built another Mississippi 
fort. He then went back to Canada for more supplies. 
When he returned to his fort on the Illinois, he found the 
fort demolished, and his men dispersed in the forests. 

In the spring of 1682 he began his voyage down the Mis- 
sissippi. He had a large number of whites and Indians, and a 
fleet of canoes. As they went they marked out sites for 
forts, and gave names to places in order to secure possession 
of the land. 

After two months' voyage down the river, having almost 
the same experiences as Marquette and Joliet, they came to a 
place where the stream divided into three parts. Some one 
dipped up a little water to drink, and found it to be slightly 
salty. La Salle then knew he was near the mouth of the 
river. 



I30 



American History 



Louisiana 



At last in a few days the canoes glided out of the stream 
and on to the broad bosom of the gulf. La Salle landed 
near the mouth of the river, set up a flag and a 
standard with the arms of France, and in the 
name of the king took possession of all the lands drained by 
the Mississippi River. He called the whole country Louisiana, 
in honor of Louis XIV, who was then king of France. 




New Orleans as it appeared in 1719 

La Salle returned to Canada as quickly as he could, and 
then sailed to France, where he told King Louis about his 
great voyage and the vast country he had claimed for 
France. He urged the king to plant colonies along the 
river, for one day all that land would be immensely valuable. 
The king sent La Salle with four vessels to found a colony 
at the mouth of the Mississippi. 

When he reached the Gulf of Mexico, La Salle lost his 
way, passed the mouth of the river, and landed somewhere 
on the coast of Texas. He tried to find the river, but his 
followers grew weary of the long marches, and one day they 
conspired to kill him. One of his men hid in the grass and 
shot him as he was passing by. The brave La Salle died 



The Voyage of La Salle 131 

in an hour, and was buried somewhere in the wild regions 
around the mouth of the great river he had explored. 

France did not forget his great plans, however, and in 
a few years (1699) the town of Biloxi, in the southern part 
of the State of Mississippi, was settled. A 
httle later (1718) New Orleans was settled, now ^^f^"^^""^^ 

' 'in Louisiana 

the largest city in the Southern States. Thus 

the French estabhshed their claim to an immense tract of 

land drained by the Mississippi River. 

The name Louisiana now belongs to one state, very 
small in comparison to the territory once called by that 
name. The French maintained that when a river was dis- 
covered, the discoverer could claim all the lands drained by 
that river and by its tributaries. Nearly half the territory 
of the United States is drained by the Mississippi and its 
branches, so that the claims of France and the name of 
New France covered all the lands in the New World from 
the Rocky Mountains to the Alleghany Mountains and all 
the region of Canada. 

Questions. Who was La Salle? What did he resolve to do? 
What two forts did he build ? What became of one of his forts ? When 
did he begin his voyage down the Mississippi? Who was with him? 
What did they do as they went along? How did La Salle find out he 
was near the mouth of the river? 

Describe his landing and taking possession of the land. What name 
did he give the country, and why? What did La Salle then 'do ? What 
became of La Salle? What towns were soon founded? How large 
was Louisiana at that time ? What did the French maintain ? What 
did their claim cover? 

Written Work. Describe what you think La Salle told the king of 
his voyage and the land he had claimed and named. 



132 American History 

LESSON 36 
THE FRENCH IN AMERICA 

While the English had possession of the Atlantic coast, 
the French had spread their thin settlements along the 
St. Lawrence River, thence out to the Great Lakes and 
along the Mississippi River. They gradually extended their 
posts farther and farther, along the Ohio, Wisconsin, and 
Illinois rivers, claiming all the lands drained by the great 
rivers, until their lands completely surrounded the lands 
claimed by the English. 

The EngHsh settlements were close together, each colony 

being a town of good size, where houses and churches were 

built and farms were cultivated. It was not so 

French posts • , , 

With the French. Their posts were far apart, 
many days' journey from each other, and were mere stockade 
forts of one or two houses. 

These outposts were reached by dim trails through the 
forests, or by long journeys on the rivers in canoes. At 
each was a chapel, made of bark and surmounted with a 
cross, where the French priests gathered the Indians and 
the soldiers and preached to them. There was also a store- 
house where provisions were kept for the soldiers and traders, 
and furs were stored as they were bought from the Indians. 

One object which the French had in view was the buying 

of furs. The northwest portion of our country was full of 

fur-bearing animals, such as the bear, the beaver, 

Fur trading o ^ 

the lynx. Indian hunters and trappers would 
range the deep wilderness in summer and plod through the 
snow in winter, killing the game, and packing the furs on sleds, 
or pihng them in canoes. 

The furs were then brought to the French forts, or trad- 



The French in America 133 

ing posts. There the traders would bargain for them, giving 
the Indians long knives, hatchets, axes, whisky, guns, beads, 
cheap jewelry, and articles of that sort for the most valuable 
furs. Furs worth a hundred dollars could often be bought 
for a mirror or a pocket knife. These furs were collected 
in great quantities, sent to the nearest fort, and sold to 
European merchants. . 

Another object of the French was the noble and unselfish 
one of converting the savages to Christianity. Among the 
boldest and most sacrificing of the pioneers we 
find the French priests. With cross and brevi- thTindiaifs 
ary they pierced the farthest limits of the wil- 
derness, setting up their little chapels in the villages of the 
Indians, hving in their wigwams, teaching them the customs 
of civilized hfe, preaching to them of Christianity, enduring 
all sorts of hardship, and frequently ending their lives in 
the horrors of savage torture. 

This wild, half-savage Hfe was very attractive to young 
Frenchmen. They liked nothing better than to dive into 
the deep woods, or get into light canoes and go far beyond 
the limits of civilization, hving with the Indians until they 
became almost as wild as the Indians themselves. 

Often these adventurous woodrangers married Indian 
women, and their children grew up half civilized, half 
savage. Sometimes these rangers stayed away from the 
French settlements for years, but wherever they went, and 
whatever they saw, they claimed it all for France. 

The woodrangers, fur traders, and French pioneers had 
but Httle desire to subdue the wilderness, to 
cut down the forests, make farms, lay out ^jaj^is 
roads, and bring the comforts of (ivili/ed life 
to the wilderness of the savage. They liked the roN'ing 



I 34 American History- 

life too well, and buying furs was much easier than raising 
corn. 

The French villages were mere trading posts, to be used 
a while and then abandoned, while the rangers wandered 
through the woods, or plied their canoes on the rivers, buy- 
ing rich furs for cheap trinkets, and going to Montreal or 
Quebec every year to sell what they had gathered, hoping, 
when they were rich enough, to go back to France. While 
the English were trying seriously to build up a new nation 
in America, the French were bent on trade with the savages 
or on their conversion to Christianity. 

It was in this way that the French came to claim all the 
great interior of North America, the regions of Canada, all 
the country around the Great Lakes, and all the lands 
drained by the Ohio, Missouri, and Mississippi rivers, which 
was many times more land than the EngHsh had, though the 
EngHsh had twenty times more people in America. 

Quebec was still the French center and main military 
post. Here the governor of New France hved. Here came 
the French vessels to trade, and here gathered the trappers 
and hunters to dispose of their furs, and buy things with 
which to delight and delude the savages. 

The Indians and the Clock. One of the French explorers tells the 
story of how the Indians regarded the clock he had in his cabin. " They 
all think it is something alive. They call it ' the captain of the day.' 
When it strikes they say it speaks. They ask us what it eats. They sit 
whole hours in order to hear it speak. They asked in the beginning 
what it said. We told them two things they remembered very well : 
One is, when it strikes four in the afternoon it says, ' Go away now, in 
order that we may shut the door.' As soon as they hear this, they rise 
at once and go. The other is, that at midday it says, ' Put over the 
kettle,' and they remember this speech better still, for there are certain idle 
fellows among them who never fail to come at this hour to eat with us." 



French and English Quarrels 135 

Questions. In what direction had the French spread their settle- 
ments? Along what rivers were they established? Describe their 
lands. What was the difference between an English and a French 
settlement? Describe a French outpost. What was one of the ob- 
jects of the French? What can you say of fur trading? 

What was another object they had in view? What can you say of 
the French missionary ? What can you say of the attractiveness of this 
kind of life? What did the woodrangers often do? What did the 
woodrangers like? Describe their life. What were the diiYerent pur- 
poses of the English and French in America? What lands did the 
French come to claim ? What can you say of Quebec ? 

Written Work. Write a description of the life of a woodranger. 
Write a description of the life of a priest among the Indians. 



LESSON 37 
FRENCH AND ENGLISH QUARRELS 

There were many reasons for the French and English 
quarrels in America. The French claimed a part of the 
territory of the present State of Maine ; so did 
the EngHsh. The French claimed all the vast the^!uarreis 
valley of the Mississippi and Ohio rivers ; the 
English did the same. The French wanted to control all 
the fur trade with the Indians along the Great Lakes and in 
the West ; the EngHsh wanted their share. The French were 
Roman Catholics ; the English were Protestants. Finally, the 
French and the English were at war in Europe, and it could 
hardly be expected they would Kve peaceably in America. 

A great struggle began between these two nations, to de- 
termine which should control the destiny of the New World. 
If the French won, we should become a French nation. If 
the English won, we should remain an English nation. This 
meant a great deal to America. 



I 36 Americiin History 

Count Frontenac was now governor of Canada. He was 
an old man nearly seventy years of age, but as full of fire and 
spirit as a man of twenty. He often went 
Frontenac among the Indian allies of the French, decorated 
with war paint, and danced with them around 
their fires. In 1690 he sent a war party down to Sche- 
nectady (Ske nek' ta di), which surprised the little village at 
midnight, and murdered sixty people while they were asleep. 
Some few escaped in their night clothes, and, half dead with 
cold and fright, fled to Alban}'. 

Other attacks and massacres occurred from time to time. 
The villages along the Canadian frontier suffered most. The 
people were never safe in the fields or at home. They did 
not know at what time a war whoop would be heard and a 
dreadful band of painted savages led by French oliicers would 
burst upon them with tomahawk and firebrand. 

To put a stop to all this, the people of New England sent 
an army against Quebec and another against Montreal, but 
these were no match for Count Frontenac, and but little came 
of their elTorts. This first war, from 1690 to 1697, was 
known as King William's War, because William III was king 
of England at the time. It came to an end by a treaty of 
peace between England and France. 

Both sides rested for five or six years, until King WilUam 
died, and the war broke out again. The second war was 
called Queen Anne's War, because Anne was now queen of 
England. This began in 1702 and lasted twelve years. 

The Indians always played an important part in these 
wars, some being on the French side, and some on the 
_ „ . English. A dreadful attack was made on Deer- 

Deerfield ^ , , . 

field in Massachusetts, where the savages de- 
scended on the town and drove the people into one of the 



French and English Quarrels 



137 



large houses. They then knocked the door to pieces, thrust 
their muskets through the cracks, and killed a woman who 
was inside. As usual, they marched off with their captives 
as quickly as they had come. 

During the progress of this war a French and Spanish 
fleet was sent from Cuba to attack Charleston, but the brave 




During Queen Anne's War the Indians attacked the town of Deerfield, Mass. 



Deople of that town drove them away before any damage 
was done. Another expedition was sent by the English 
against Quebec, but it was a failure like the first one. 

After twelve years of war, treaty was again made between 
France and England, by which France gave up her claim to 
the territory of Maine and Nova Scotia and the Hudson Bay 
country. After that there was no longer any quarrel over 



138 American History 

the territory to the north. France had made her first con- 
cession to the arms of England. 

King William's War and Queen Anne's War came close 
together. There came a long peace, lasting thirty years, 
before the third war of the series was fought. In the mean- 
time the English colonies kept gaining in numbers and 
strength. The Carolinas and Georgia had become flourishing 
colonies, and every year saw thousands of people landing 
upon our shores and seeking homes in America. 

The French were not idle. They still insisted upon their 
rights of possession along the Mississippi and Ohio, and 
extended their settlements and forts all the way from Canada 
to New Orleans. The question of who should control in 
America was far from settled yet. 

In 1744 war broke out afresh between France and England, 
and lasted five years. This war was called King George's 
War because George II was the king of England. 

The main event of this war was the capture of the French 
fort, Louisburg (Loo' i burg), which lay at the mouth of the 
St. Lawrence River. It had cost several million dollars, 
was built of heavy stone, and the French thought it could 
not be taken. In this they were mistaken, for the Eng- 
lish captured it after a siege of six weeks. The French 
were g-reatly surprised at this, and the English • every- 
where celebrated the victory with bonfires, speeches, and 
rejoicing. 

The people of New England were deeply wrathful 
when the war ended, to find that the English had given 
Louisburg back to the French in exchange for another city 
on the other side of the globe. They knew that the for- 
tress was very important and would have to be conquered 
again. 



French and English Quarrels 139 

Hannah Dustin. In 1697 occurred the attack on Haverhill, Massa- 
chusetts, made notable by the bravery of Hannah Dustin, the wife of a 
farmer. In the absence of her husband, the savages had entered the 
house of Mrs. Dustin, killed her baby, and taken Mrs. Dustin prisoner. 
With other captives the party started on a rapid march back to Canada. 
In the party was a boy who understood the language of the Indians. 
One night as they sat around the fire, he overheard them planning to 
torture the captives and then put them to death. 

He told this to Mrs. Dustin, and she resolved to save herself and her 
friends. One night when the Indians were fast asleep, she woke the 
boy quietly and gave him a tomahawk she had found. Then the two 
slipped around to the place where the Indians were, and one by one hit 
them all in the head, killing every Indian except one boy and a woman, 
who escaped. Mrs. Dustin then scalped the dead Indians, after which 
she and her friends started on their way home, nearly a hundred miles 
through the forest. 

When she reached Haverhill, great was the rejoicing of her family 
and friends. The town paid her fifty pounds for the scalps she had 
brought, and her fame spread so far that even the Governor of Maryland 
sent her a handsome present. 

Questions. Name the reasons why the French and English quar- 
reled in America. What great issue was involved in the struggle between 
the nations? Who was Count Frontenac? Describe the massacre at 
Schenectady. Under what fear did the people live? What was the 
name of the first war? What was the name of the second war? 
Describe the attack at Deerfield. 

What can you say of the expeditions against Charleston? What 
can you say of the one against Quebec? What treaty ended Queen 
Anne's War? How long was peace now kept ? What was the name of 
the third war? When did it break out? What was the main event? 
What did the English do with the fort of Louisburg ? 

Tell the story of Hannah Dustin. 

Written Work. Write the names of the first three wars with the 
French, and tell for whom they were named. 



140 American History 

LESSON 38 
THE YOUNG GEORGE WASHINGTON 

Before we go any farther with our story of the French 
and EngUsh conflict in America, let us stop long enough to 
find out a few facts about the early life of George Wash- 
ington, one of the greatest of all Americans. 

He was born in Westmoreland County, in Virginia, Feb- 
ruary 22d, 1732. His home stood near the Potomac River, 
and was a low, one-story house, such as many 

Early life . 

farmers lived in at that day. When Washington 
was eleven years old his father died. His education fell to the 
care of his mother, who was one of the best mothers a boy 
ever had, and to whom her son was devoted as long as he 
lived. 

Washington went to school as other boys did, and was a 
leader among his companions in running, leaping, and wres- 
tling. He would form the boys of the school into a military 
company, and drill them as if they were soldiers. Then he 
would divide them into two armies and fight sham battles, 
for every boy at that time expected sooner or later to be a 
soldier and to fight real battles. 

Washington was always an honorable and truthful boy. 
His mother owned a beautiful but very wild colt, which the 
boy undertook to ride. One morning he went to the pas- 
ture, and, with the help of some boys, caught the colt, put 
a bit into its mouth, and leaped on its back. The colt reared 
and plunged so violently that he broke a blood vessel and 
fell dead. Washington went straight to. his mother and 
told her the truth about the accident. His mother was 
sorry, but proud that her son did not try to conceal anything 
from her. 



The Young George Washington 141 

When Washington was sixteen years old, he met Lord 
Fairfax, an old bachelor, who owned a large tract of wild 
land across the Blue Ridge Mountains that he 
was anxious to have surveyed. Washington had ma^ood 
learned surveying at school, and so he undertook 
to lay out the lands of Lord Fairfax. For many weeks he 
marched with chain and compass through the woods and 
across the streams, laying down stakes and drawing maps, 
living with the Indians, and learning a great deal about the 
customs of frontier life. 

When he became nineteen years of age he was appointed 
adjutant-general over one of the districts of Virginia, with 
the title of Major, and was already known as a young man 
of great military ability, of splendid character, and of personal 
bravery. 

As Washington was nearing young manhood, the French 
and English were getting ready for their final struggle to 
settle the old question of who should control the Mississippi 
and Ohio valleys. It had been in dispute for nearly a hun- 
dred years. The Ohio valley was the scene of the opening 
struggle. 

To exclude the French from the Ohio valley, a company 
was formed by the EngHsh known as the Ohio Company, 
which proceeded to colonize that territory in 
order to keep the French away. The French J^m^any 
heard of this, and promptly appeared on the 
Ohio with a body of men, who drove away the English traders 
and sent word to the Governor of Pennsylvania not to allow 
any more Englishmen upon the lands of France. 

In the spring of 1753 DuQuesne (Du Kane'), who was the 
French Governor of Canada, sent an exploring party down the 
Allegheny River to colonize the territory. He coolly 



142 



American History 



declared that the land belonged to the French, and he pro- 
posed to keep it. When the Virginians heard of this they 

were aroused, and 
Governor Dinwiddie 
resolved to send the 
French commander 
a letter, asking him 
by what authority he 
had come into that 
land, and requesting 
liim to leave it. 

The g ove r n or 
wanted some one of 
courage and experience 

The message to take the 
to the French note, and 
settlements v . 

so he sent 
for George Washington, 
who at the time was 
twenty-one years old. 
The young man ap- 
peared before the gov- 
ernor and received his 
instructions. The 
place where he was to 
go was five hundred 
miles away, beyond a tangled wilderness, beset by savages 
and dangers of all kinds. 

On the same day he set out with live companions. It 
was then October, and the autumn woods were brilliant and 
beautiful. Soon the winter settled down on the travelers 
as they toiled on their way. The snow fell fast and almost 




George Washington appears before Governor 
Dinwiddie to receive instructions 



The Young George Washington 143 

blinded them as they marched. The rain froze as it fell, 
and the sleet cut their faces like sharp knives. When they 
tried to build a camp fire at night by the side of a rock or 
against a tree, it would soon be extinguished by the rain. 
Often they had" to sleep in wet clothes, frozen stiff by the cold 
weather. 

Still, they were all strong, hardy young men who knew 
how to get food out of the forest and to laugh at the hard- 
ships of a traveler's life. 

When they reached the French settlement on the Alle- 
gheny River, they found the officer busily engaged in build- 
ing his fort. Washington gave him the letter of Governor 
Dinwiddle. The ofhcer read it and said, " I am acting under 
orders of the Governor of Canada, and cannot leave this 
place. It is his intention to occupy this land and to keep 
every Englishman out of it." 

Washington and lys companions having received the reply 
of the officer, started on their journey homeward. The 
return was even worse than the going. It was ^, 

. The return 

the depth of winter, the weather was mtensely 
cold, and the rivers were full of ice. There was hardly any 
chance of getting a fire, and their clothes froze to their Hmbs. 
They waded through swamps and creeks until their tired 
pack horses gave out .and refused to go any farther. 
Washington and one of his companions gave up their horses 
and trudged on foot for the rest of the way. 

As they crossed one of the half-frozen rivers on a raft, the 
great blocks of ice swept the pole out of the hands of Washing- 
ton. He was thrown into the icy water, but being a good 
swimmer he came safely to land. 

One day an Indian who had been acting as a guide 
suddenly raised his gun and fired point blank at Washington. 



144 American History 

He missed his mark, however, and, before he could reload, 
the others had him by the throat and soon drove him from the 
party. 

At last after traveling a thousand miles the party reached 
home, and Washington took the officer's letter to Governor 
Dinwiddle. The reply, of course, called for war. There was 
nothing else to do. This action of the French brought on the 
great French and Indian War. 

Questions. When and where was George Washington born? What 
can you say of his education, and of his life in school? Tell the story 
of the colt. What was Washington's experience as a surveyor ? What 
title did he receive when he was nineteen ? For what were the French and 
English getting ready at this time ? What was the purpose of the Ohio 
Company? What did the French governor do? Who was chosen to 
carry a message to the intruders? 

Describe the hardships of the journey. What answer did the French 
officer give the party? Describe the incidents of the return journey. 
What was the effect of the French reply to tjie message of Governor 
Dinwiddle? 

Written Work. Write a short account of Washington's journey to 
the French fort. 



LESSON 39 
THE FRENCH AND INDIAN WAR 

War between the French and the Enghsh began in earnest. 
The French completed the fort they had begun on the Alle- 
gheny River and called it Fort DuQuesne. The English 
under Washington moved into the neighborhood, and built 
a fort which they called Fort Necessity. The French, how- 
ever, were stronger than the Virginians, and they captured 
Washington's fort, driving the Virginians away. 

The I^nglish promptly prepared for war. The great 



The French and Indian War 145 

tribe of Iroquois Indians, who had hated the French for a 
hundred and fifty years, sent their head men to Albany, N.Y., 
where a treaty of friendship was made between the Iroquois 
and the English. 

In addition to this the leading men of the colonies sug- 
gested that in view of the common danger there prankiin's 
should be some kind of union of all the colonies, proposed 
Indeed, Benjamin Franklin of Pennsylvania drew ^^°^ 
up a plan of union for the colonies, but nothing came of it at 
the time. 

The English government sent an army of soldiers under 
General Braddock. Braddock was a brave soldier, who 
could do very well in ordinary warfare, but fighting Indians 
in the woods was something he knew nothing about. He 
spoke contemptuously of the American soldiers who wore 
no uniforms and carried any sort of guns, and he boasted of 
what his regular soldiers were going to do. 

Braddock landed in Virginia, and after many delays started 
through the wilderness after the French at Fort DuQuesne. 
Washington went with him as one of his officers. 
Three hundred axmen led the way, cutting jjjarch° 
down trees, and clearing the way for the long 
train of pack horses and cannon. The soldiers marched on 
either side of the pack trains, while scouting parties ranged 
the woods to guard against surprise. 

After a month's slow marching the army was within a 
few miles of the French fort. Suddenly, without any warn- 
ing, Braddock found himself surrrounded on all sides by 
French and Indians, who, hidden behind trees and lying in 
the bushes, opened a terrible fire upon the almost defenseless 
English. 

Braddock did not know what to do with an enemy he could 



146 American History 

not see. He ordered his soldiers to stand in line and fire at 
the bushes where the savages were hid. Their bullets buried 
themselves in the trunks of trees, while the deadly aim of 
the Indians and French mowed down the English troops. 
Washington begged Braddock to order his men into the 
woods for protection and to fight behind trees as the savages 
did. Braddock was obstinate and kept his men in line. 

Finally the soldiers could endure it no longer. They broke 
ranks and ran for safety. Braddock stormed and tried to beat 

them back into line. Four horses were killed 
bravery ^ Under him, and he mounted a fifth. Washington 

did all he could to save the day. Two horses 
were killed under him, and his clothes were pierced by 
bullets. 

At last Braddock was shot through the lungs and fell 
from his horse, and Washington drew the body of the troops 

out of danger. Braddock died soon after, saying 
defeat ^^ ^^^ delirium, " We shall know better how to 

deal with them next time." Whether he meant 
the Indians or his own troops nobody knows, but the general 
paid the penalty for his obstinacy. 

This battle took place July 9, 1755, and is known as 
" Braddock's Defeat." The Indians now flocked to the side 
of the French, while the EngHsh were greatly discouraged at 
this bad beginning. 

The war now took another field. In the upper part of 
New York State on Lake George, the French were defeated 

by the English in a bloody battle, and Fort 
rogress o William Henry was built to command the head- 

the war -' 

waters of the Hudson River. This fortress was 
captured in 1757 by the French, and the Enghsh soldiers 
were promised a safe return to their homes. As soon as 



The French and Indian War 



147 



they left the fort, however, the savages, who could not be 
held in check by the French officers, fell upon the prisoners 
and murdered every one of them. 

In 1758, Louisburg, which we remember had been returned 
to the French, was captured again by the English. In the 




The English capture Fort DuQuesne. and change the name to Fort Pitt. 
It is now the city of Pittsburgh 

same year Fort DuQuesne was captured from the French 
and its name changed to Fort Pitt. The city of Pittsburgh 
has since been built upon its site. 

Washington himself was present when the French left 
Fort DuQuesne, and the Enghsh flag was planted on its 
ramparts by his own hand. When he went back to Virginia 
he was chosen member of the House of Burgesses. 

When he came to take his seat, the Speaker of the House 
rose and thanked him for his services. Washington was no 



148 



American History 



orator, and when he tried to respond he was so embarrassed 
that he could not say anything. " Sit down, Mr. Washing- 
ton," said the Speaker. " Your modesty exceeds your valor, 
and that is beyond the power of language to express." 




The Acadians in Nova Scotia are driven from their homes on account 
of their sympathy for the French 

The sad story of the Acadians belongs to this part of our 
history. They were a simple peasant people living in Nova 
The expulsion Scotia. Their sympathies were with the French, 
of the and they refused to take the oath of allegiance 

to the king of England. They wished to be 
neutral in the war, and begged to be left alone by both sides. 



The Fall of Quebec 149 

This the English would not allow. They entered upon the 
lands of the Acadians, burned their houses, and at the point 
of the bayonet forced them on board waiting ships. Families 
were separated in the confusion, never to be reunited. Seven 
thousand of these people were distributed among the various 
colonies by this cruel act, and many sad afflictions befell 
the unhappy people. 

Collateral Reading. " Evangeline," by Longfellow. 

Questions. What two forts were built on the Allegheny River? 
What became of Washington's fort? What treaty was made with the 
Indians? What plan did Benjamin Franklin propose? Who was 
General Braddock? Of what was he boastful? Describe his march 
through the wilderness. Describe the ambush. WTiat did Washington 
try to do? What happened to Braddock? Describe the massacre at 
Fort William Henry. What became of Louisburg? What became of 
Fort DuQuesne? 

What incident can you relate of Washington's modesty? Tell the 
stor)^ of the experience of the Acadians. 

Written Work. If you had been an eye-witness of Braddock's defeat, 
what account would you write of it ? 



LESSON 40 
THE FALL OF QUEBEC 

At this same time a great war was going on in Europe, 
which was known as the Seven Years' War. France was in 
league with Austria and Russia against Prussia 
and England. In this way nearly every Euro- Years' 
pean city was a rally camp for troops, and nearly ^*''' 
every country was a battlefield. Ihe war m 
America was a part of the Seven Years' War, though here it is 
known as the French and Indian War. 



150 American History 

The great English statesman, William Pitt, was dissatisfied 
with the way the war was carried on in America, and deter- 
mmed to make a bold effort to end it. To do this he 
knew that it was necessary to capture the city of Quebec 
in Canada. For this purpose he chose one of the bravest 
ofhcers in the English army. His name was James 
Wolfe. 

A part of the town of Quebec is situated on a hill three 
hundred feet above the river. The top of this hill is called 
the Heights of Abraham. The lower town along the 
river was easy enough to capture, but it was no slight task 
to climb a precipice and conquer a strong citadel full of 
brave men, especially when they were under the command 
of so able a soldier as the French general. Marquis de Mont- 
calm (de Mont kam'). 

For two months and a half the English laid siege to 
Quebec. Wolfe was ill with fever nearly all the time, but 
never failed in his industry and vigilance. He 
The siege o (jij-gcted every movement and planned every 
attack, but Montcalm on the Heights with his 
seven thousand men was too strong to be captured. Wolfe 
was discouraged, and knew that the citadel could be cap- 
tured only by a bold stroke. He, therefore, decided upon a 
desperate plan. 

Montcalm had guarded every approach to his citadel, 
except on one side where the rocks were so steep that he 
thought no one could possibly chmb them. Only a few 
pickets were placed there as sentinels. It was up this preci- 
pice that Wolfe decided to climb with his army. On the 
day before the attack he was very ill. He made his will, 
sent for a friend, and told him he doubted whether he should 
be alive many days. 



The Fall of Quebec 



151 



On the night of September 12th, 1759, the EngUsh lowered 

their boats from the ships, and the soldiers quietly took their 

places. With^, 

^ The attack 

muffled oars they 
glided up the river past the 
French batteries. Not a 
sound was uttered. Wolfe 
was in the foremost boat.' 
The troops landed silently 
and began two by two to pull 
themselves up the steep rocks. 

When near the top, one of 
the men made a noise, and a 
picket cried out, " Who goes 
there? " An English captain 
answered, " The French." 
The sentinel demanded. 
" What regiment ? " The cap- 
tain replied, " The Queen's." ^"'^^'^ ^°'^' ^"^^^^ 
The sentinel was satisfied, and the English passed on. 

In the morning, great was Montcalm's surprise to find 
Wolfe and his army before the fort, on the broad 
plain which is known as the Plains of Abraham. ^^ ouebec'^^ 
At eight o'clock the battle began. Wolfe, sick as 
he was, led his men to the attack, and was shot down by a 




' General Wolfe was an admirer of Gray's "Elegy in a Countn,' Church- 
yard." On the night of the attack, he repeated the lines : — 
"The boast of heraldr>% the pomp of power, 
And all that beauty, all that wealth e'er gave, 
.\wait alike the inevitable hour — 
The paths of glory lead but to the grave." 
"Gentlemen," said he, to his officers near him, "I would rather be the author 
of that poem than take Quebec." 



152 



American History 



French bullet. He said to one of his aids, " Support me. 
Do not let my men see me fall." He was then borne from 
the field. As he lay dying he heard the cry, " They run ! 
They run ! " '' Who run? " he asked. " The French," was 
the reply. " God be praised," said he. " I die in peace." 
Thus expired the brave General Wolfe just as his men were 

driving the French out of 
Quebec. 

In another part of the 
field Montcalm lay dying, 
wounded by a shot from the 
English. When he heard of 
the disaster to his troops, 
he said, "Thank God, I shall 
not live to see Quebec 
surrender." In a few days 
the garrison surrendered to 
the British. 

Four years later peace was 
signed between France and 
England, in which the French 
gave up all of Canada, and 
all their possessions east of 
the Mississippi. As France 
had already ceded to Spain 
" the island of New Orleans " and all the territory of Louisi- 
ana, she was now left without any possessions in North 
America. 

Collateral Reading. " With Wolfe in Canada," by Hcnty. 
Questions. What war was going on at this time? What did Pitt 
resolve to do? Whom did he choose for the purpose? What can you 
say of Quebec? What can you say of the siege of Quel)ec and the vigi- 




Wolfes Monument 




Territory Before the French and Indian War (1755) 




Territory After the French and Indian War (1763) 



The Homes of the Colonists 153 

lance of Wolfe ? What did Wolfe resolve to do ? Describe the approach 
of the boats and the scaling of the precipice. Describe the death of 
Wolfe and of JVIontcalm. What was the result of the fall of Quebec? 

Written Work. If you had been one of the soldiers scaling the preci- 
pice at Quebec, what account would you write of the occurrence? 



LESSON 41 
THE HOMES OF THE COLONISTS 

The French and Indian War was over, and the English 
colonies had established themselves firmly in America. 
Before going further into their history, it is well for us to 
look into their homes and to see their ways of living. 

Virginia was now about a hundred and fifty years old. It 
was the largest of the colonies, having over a quarter of a 
million people. Georgia was the youngest colony, and was 
now about thirty years old. Altogether at the close of the 
French and Indian War there were probably one million and a 
half people in the English colonies in America. 

There were no large cities, such as we have to-day. Phila- 
delphia, Boston, New York, and Charleston were the largest 
towns, but none of these contained more than twenty or 
thirty thousand people. 

When the first settlers came to America they found great 
forests, with plenty of wood, but, having no sawmills and 
but few saws to cut boards, many people were Pioneer 
forced to live in caves dug out of the sides of homes 
the hills. These were used for a short time only, and soon 
gave way to the log cabin. 

A log cabin was made of round logs, notched at the ends 
so that they would fit together. The spaces between the 
logs were filled with mud or straw to keep out the wind and 



154 



American History 



cold. The roof was made of long shingles, split with an 
ax. There was also a rude chimney made of mud and 
sticks. 

This made a comfortable house in the summer time, but it 
was cold in the winter. The log cabin for a long time was 
the only kind of house the farmers had. After a while in the 



/^ 




A pioneer's house in tiie wilderness. From sucfi homes have come many of 
the greatest men of the nation 

villages a better sort appeared. As the people prospered 
they gradually built larger and more comfortable houses, 
just as they do in this day. 

There was no glass to be had for the early homes. The 
colonists frequently used oiled paper in the window open- 
ings, which let in some light, but their main dependence was 
upon the great fireplace, and the huge fire, which served for 
both light and heat. 

Often there were no wooden floors to the houses, but the 



The Homes of the Colonists 155 

ground was packed hard and covered with sand. Sometimes 
the people used candles for light, as there were no lamps 
and kerosene oil such as we now have. Even candles had 
to be made at home, and were considered a great luxury. 

Let us look into one of the homes of the early colonists 
after dark. We find a great roaring fire in the chimney, 
with a big back log, glowing hot, and fat wood 
burning around it. The flames leap up the chim- j^gide 
ney, giving out a splendid heat, but if it is very 
cold outside our backs will almost freeze while our faces 
scorch. 

Around the fire are benches or stools on which the family 
sit, the women knitting woolen socks or making shirts, coats, 
trousers, and indeed all the garments that the family wear. 
The men are cleaning their guns, mending their tools, and 
helping with the housework. The supper is cooking in 
kettles, pots, or ovens before the fire, for there are as yet no 
stoves in the colonies. 

When the food is ready, — and it probably consists of corn- 
meal mush or corn bread in some form, beans, pork, or game 
from the woods, — it is all put into wooden bowls or trenchers, 
and set on a rough table. Everybody eats out of wooden 
plates, or, if the family is well off, out of shining pewter plat- 
ters, and since there are no forks, everybody must eat with the 
fingers. There is plenty of food, and hard work has made 
hearty appetites. 

The talk is about the governor, and the ships coming over 
from England, or about the fishing and the game to be had ; 
then about the farm and the crops for next year, the corn, 
and the Indians that have been giving trouble. 

Perhaps the family will drink a little cider or home-brewed 
beer, and crack some nuts that the children have gathered 



iS6 



American History 




A New England fireside 



from the woods. After a short while the fire is covered 
over with ashes to keep it alive, for there are no matches 

to light another 
one, and everybody 
goes to bed early, 
l)erhaps sleeping on 
dry hemlock boughs 
instead of mat- 
tresses. 

As the country 
prospered, however, 
better homes were 
built, of two stories, with glass windows, and painted. Fur- 
niture was brought over from England, and the wealthy 
merchants of New England surrounded themselves w'ith 
the comforts their fathers had known in the old country. 
Some of these houses were even mansions in their proportions, 
where gay parties, balls, and receptions were given. 

In Virginia the rich planters' homes were built on the 
slopes leading down to the rivers, where often the planters 
Virginia owned their own wharves, to which ships came 

mansions ^q \q-^i(\ and unload. These mansions were tall 
white houses, with wide halls and great verandas, built in a 
style known as colonial. 

Here the planters lived in princely fashion. There were 
log cabins near by for the slaves, stables for fine horses, 
kennels for dogs, houses for overseers, and hundreds of 
broad, rich acres in every direction. Inside were rich fur- 
niture from England, carpets on the floors, silver and glass 
for the table, and an abounding hospitality. 

There were few inns and taverns to be found along the 
roads, and those were of so bad a sort that the hospitable 



Occupations, Dress, Sports 157 

I)lanters invited all Iraxelcrs into their homes. It is said 
that some of the planters stationed negro servants at the 
gates along the highways to invite travelers to come in and 
take a meal or spend the night. 

The planters themselves always cordially welcomed the 
stranger, were glad to get his news from other towns, put 
before him the best food and wine, and gave him the best 
bed in the house. In this way Southern hospitality and a 
Virginia welcome became proverbial. 

Collateral Reading. " Snow Bound," by John G. Whittier. 

Questions. How old was X'irginia at this time? How many people 
were there in America ? What were the largest towns ? How large were 
they? Describe the log cabin of the early settlers. What did they use 
for glass? Describe the floors. Describe the light. Describe the inside 
cheer after dark. What did the men and women do ? Describe the food 
and the table service. W^hat was the talk about? What did the family 
drink? What improvements were made later? 

Describe a mansion in Virginia. Describe the inns and taverns. 
What hospitahty did the planters show? 

Written Work. Write a short account of the inside of a pioneer's 
home of the early times. 



LESSON 42 
OCCUPATIONS, DRESS, SPORTS 

The occupations of the colonists were mainly farming, fish- 
ing, and trading. Of course, there were a few small factories 
and shops for making furniture, clothes, shoes, and other 
articles the people needed, but as a rule most of the supplies 
the colonists used were brought from England. 

In New England, and the Northern colonies generally, the 
farms were small. The people raised corn, beans, squash, 
and other vegetables. Fishing and shipbuilding occupied 



158 American History 

most of the attention of the people. This called for ship- 
builders, carpenters, ropemakers, sailmakers 

Industries in , , r 1 • i- t^- ^ ' 1 

New En land ^^^ stores for ship suppues. Pishing vessels 

went out for codfish, and larger ships went in 
search of whales for oil and whalebone. 

These ships, loaded with lumber, dried fish, whale oil, 
furs, and corn, traded along the coasts as far as the West 
Indies, and even sailed to Europe. The ships returned with 
tobacco, sugar, cotton, molasses from the Southern ports, 
and furniture, clothing, tools, hats, carpets, and other necessary 
supplies from Europe. 

In New York the people found the fur trade to be the 
most profitable. The old Dutch colonists made friends 

with the Indians easily, and were not far from 
New York ' ^^^ trading posts on the St. Lawrence River. 

In Pennsylvania there were great fields of grain. 
The Dutch had wandered into this section, had found the 
land fertile, had cultivated large areas of corn and wheat, 
and built fine mills, so that the grain from other colonies was 
often sent there to be ground. 

In the Southern colonies the people were almost entirely 
farmers. Tobacco, rice, indigo, and corn were the principal 

products. The farms were large, negro slaves 
the South were cheap and readily bought from the slave 

ships, the climate was mild and the weather 

pleasant nearly all the time. 

As far as clothes were concerned, many of the pioneers 

had to depend upon their guns to give them fur to wear 

instead of cloth. Breeches made of deerskin. 
Clothing . , , - , 1 f 1 

moccasins for the feet, hats made oi beaver 

skin or raccoon skin, were commonly worn. At first there 

were laws against wearing fine clothes, but after a while the 



Occupations, Dress, Sports 159 

wealthy insisted on bringing in rich silks and laces from 
England for their wives. 

Even men sometimes wore fine embroidered clothes, espe- 
cially when they went to receptions or on great occasions. 
The women wore high-heeled shoes, hoop-skirts, and some- 
times masks of cloth and velvet to protect their complexion 
from the sun. Among the rich people there was almost as 
much style and expense of dress as there was in England. 

In the old days there was not much time for sports. Life 
was too hard for much diversion, and the Puritan idea of 
severe living gave no thought for pleasure. 

" Sports 

There were sports of the woods, such as hunt- 
ing wolves and bears, which when caught were sometimes 
tied to a stake and made to fight dogs for the amusement of 
the crowd. 

On cold moonlight nights a load of codfish heads would 
be placed by the side of a fence or a wall, and hunters would 
hide near by to kill the prowling foxes. Shooting at a mark 
for a prize was a great diversion. To be the best shot in 
a town was no easy matter, where every man had to be a 
marksman to protect his home from" Indians and provide his 
family with food. 

So far as dancing, card-playing, and theatergoing were 
concerned, these were severely frowned upon by the New 
England people for a long time. Such pleasures were not 
proper for the young men and maidens. 

Later on, however, we hear of parties being given, and in 
some of the old papers we read of balls in New England 
where the young people danced until late hours. At these 
balls or receptions the men wore their finest clothes, and the 
women wore silks and brocade almost stiff enough to stand 
alone. 



i6o American History 

In the Southern colonies the spirit of pleasure was freer, 

and life was not so severe. The planters generally had good 

horses, and fox-hunting was a favorite sport. 

Pleasures 

A pack of fine dogs was sent after a fox, the 
riders on horses following them for many miles, through 
woods and fields, until the fox was caught and killed. Horse- 
racing was popular, since many planters raised valuable stock 
and prided themselves on the speed and endurance of their 
thoroughbred horses. 

In the better class of Southern homes there were often 
scenes of great gayety. There was much feasting, dancing, 
and fine dressing, while family and friends gathered from far 
and near to celebrate some festival of the year or some happy 
occasion in the family. 

The people of New York followed the hoHday habit of 
Holland, and the Dutch seasons of rejoicing were frequent 

and joyous occasions. It is to them that we 
holidays ^^^ much of the pleasures of Christmas and the 

hanging up of stockings for the visits of Santa 
Claus. They celebrated New Year's Day with visits to 
friends and with feasting and drinking. Then came St. 
Valentine's Day, Easter celebrations, May Day, and dancing 
around the Maypole, in all of which the happy, thrifty 
Dutch set the colonists a good example of simple, homely 
happiness. 

A Wife Worth Her Weight in Silver. Captain John Hull was the 
mint-master of Massachusetts, and coined all the shillings for the colony. 
They were stamped with a pine tree on one side. Hull had grown very 
rich, and kept a big chest full of bright, new shillings. One day Samuel 
Sewall came courting Mclsey, the j)hmip, rosy-cheel^ed daughter of Cap- 
tain Hull. 

On the night of the wedding Hull had a big pair oi scales brought 
in and made Betsey sit on one side. " Now open that bo.x," said he 



Laws, Travel, Customs i 6 1 

to the servants. The box was opened. " Now fill up the other side 
of the scales," said he. Jingle, jingle went the shillings until the 
young lady was fairly weighed from the floor. " There, my son," said 
Hull to Sewall, " take those shillings for my daughter's portion. It is not 
every wife that is worth her weight in silver." {Adapted from Hawthorne.) 

Questions. What was the main occupation of the colonists ? Where 
did they get most of the supplies they used? What did the New Eng- 
land farms produce? Describe the fishing industry. What did the 
fishing vessels bring back? 

What industries did the Dutch pursue? What were the principal 
products of the Southern colonies ? What can you say of the difference 
in the occupations of the people in the Northern and Southern colonies? 

What did the colonists use for clothing? What did the wealthy 
people do? How did the rich people dress? What sports did the 
people enjoy? What can you say of dancing and card-playing? 
What can you say of the sports of the Southern planters? How did 
the Dutch celebrate, their festivals ? 

Written Work. Write a description of the sports and pleasures of 
the colonists. 

Note. A Colonial tea-party is an excellent school entertainment, 
showing the dress, furniture, table service, and manners of the old times. 

LESSON 43 
LAWS, TRAVEL, CUSTOMS 

Our forefathers had many hiws and customs that seem 
curious to us nowadays. There were laws against lying, 
against talking too much, against staying away from church, 
against fine clothes that the wearer could not afford, against 
drinking too much, — though we must add that those laws 
were not always enforced. 

If a man was guilty of telling a lie, his tongue was caught 
by a spUt stick, and he was stood up for people to laugh at. 
If a woman was proved to be a scolding, cross-natured per- 



1 62 American History 

son, she was put on a ducking-stool at one end of a long 
plank, and ducked in the river. If a man was shown to be 
a drunkard, he was often obliged to wear a big D of red 
cloth hung around his neck or sewed to his clothes. 

Set up in public places were the pillory and the stocks. 
If any person was convicted of breaking the laws, he could 
be ordered into the pillory or into the stocks, 
stocks "^ where he was quite helpless. The boys and 
men who passed by could throw rotten eggs at 
him, and the girls and women would laugh at him, until the 
officers of the town were satisfied that he had been punished 
enough. 

All hangings were public, and often great crowds came to 
see the unhappy scene. The streets were filled with people 
from many miles around, speeches were made, sermons 
delivered, and hanging day was equal to the circus day of 
later times. 

Our forefathers had no elegant railroad cars or fine roads, 

as we have at the present day, but contented themselves 

with the rude and slow stagecoach that went 

Travel 

from one place to another. The roads were 
bad, especially in winter, and often everybody in the stage- 
coach had to get out and walk uphill, or help pull the wheels 
out of a rut or deep mud hole. Nobody traveled for pleasure 
in those days. 

A lumbering stagecoach ran from New York to Phil- 
adelphia once a week at a rate of three or four miles an hour. 
When in 1776 the trip was made in two days, it was thought 
so wonderful that the stagecoach was called the " flying 
machine." 

Those who could, always rode horseback, traveling in 
small companies for protection. If the journey could be 



Laws, Travel, Customs 



163 



made by water, a sailing vessel or rowboat was used. The 
inns along the road were poor affairs, of rough accommo- 
dations and uncomfortable. Where we now go comfortably 







Our forefathers traveled by stagecoach 

in a few hours in a railroad train, our ancestors spent many 
weary, disagreeable days. 

The mail was carried on horseback. The charge for a 
letter was often as high as twenty-five cents, and but few 
letters were written. The postman came irregularly, and 
when a person wrote to a distant friend there was no telling 
how long it would take to get a reply. 

The farmers who lived along the roads were very hos- 
pitable to travelers, and no one was ever turned away or 
denied a night's lodging. Their cordial reception was the 
only thing that relieved the weariness of a journey. 



164 



American History 



One of the strangest and saddest things in the early his- 
tory of the country was the belief in witches. If a person 
had a fit, or if the cattle died, or if the crops 

Witchcraft . . ^ 

failed, the people said, " A witch did it." If 

anybody acted curiously, especially an old man or woman, or 

a deformed person, he was at once accused of being a witch. 

This silly craze became worse in Salem, Mass., in 1692 

than at any other place or time. The least circumstance 

was sufficient for an 
accusation. A girl of 
fourteen years of age 
accused the laundress 
of stealing some of the 
linen. The mother 
of the laundress, who 
was an old woman, 
came and abused the 
girl, after which the 
child fell into fits. 
One of her brothers 
and two of her sisters 
likewise had fits. The 
old woman was ac- 
cused of being a -witch 
and w^as hanged. 
Many persons were persuaded to confess they were 
witches. Several hundred were tried in the courts, and the 
jails became full. The people were almost crazy on the sub- 
ject. Persons of high rank and of good families were pointed 
out as witches, even one of the judges, the wife of the gover- 
nor, and the wife of one of the ministers, being accused. 
Nineteen of the accused were publicly hanged before the 




The witchcraft delusion reached its height in 
Salem, Mass., in 1692 



I 



Laws, Travel, Customs 165 

people came to their senses and saw how foolish they had 
been. Then the jails were opened and the poor prisoners set 
free. Since that time there has been no hanging of witches 
in our country, and everybody knows there never was nor 
ever will be such a thing as a witch. If this had been known 
in those days it would have saved the lives of nineteen per- 
sons, and avoided a great deal of folly and misery. 

We should not neglect the story of the pirates who roamed 
the seas in the early days, destroying ships, capturing car- 
goes, and murdering sailors. The New England 
people, as we have seen, were a seagoing people. 
Their ships went back and forth, carrying and bringing rich 
merchandise. 

Some of these ships tried to evade paying duties on their 
cargoes. They tried to smuggle in their goods by landing at 
some hidden creek or river, or on some deserted part of the 
shore. These smugglers and pirates became so bad that the 
honest ship dealers and owners complained loudly. 

The governor of New York sent out Captain Wilham Kidd 
to put down the sea robbers. The captain, however, pre- 
tended not to see any pirates ; and, indeed, he became one 
himself. For a while he was the terror of the seas. When 
he came back to New York he was arrested and sent to Lon- 
don, where he was tried and hanged. 

Along the North Carolina coasts were the favorite haunts 
of pirates. One of the most famous pirates was named 
Blackbeard. He had a ship that was swift, and men that 
were daring. He would attack small vessels, rifle their 
cargoes, kill everybody on board, and sink the ship. 

A Virginia ship went after him, and a desperate hand-to- 
hand fight took place. All the pirates were killed or wounded. 
Blackbeard himself was slain, his head was cut oft" and hung 



1 66 American History 

from the bowsprit of the victorious ship. After a few years 
all the pirates were captured or run off from the Southern 
coasts, and from that time on no further trouble arose from 
that source to annoy the trade of the colonists. 

Collateral Reading. Selections from " Grandfather's Chair," by 
Hawthorne. 

Questions. What were some of the curious laws of our forefathers? 
What were some of the punishments? Describe the pillor> and stocks. 
Describe the hangings. How did our forefathers travel? What was 
the "flying machine"? How was the mail carried? What can you 
say of postage and letters? 

What was the foolish belief about witches? Relate an incident of 
how an old woman was accused. Who else were accused? How 
many persons were hanged in all? What can you say of the pirates? 
What can you say of Captain Kidd ? What was the fate of Blackbeard ? 

Written Work. Write the story of the Salem witchcraft. 



LESSON 44 

SUNDAY, EDUCATION, SCHOOLS 

We have learned that many of the colonies in America 
were founded to secure rehgious freedom. Naturally, then, 
many of the early colonists were very strict on the subject 
of religion. 

The church, or meeting-house, was the finest building in 
the town. At first oiled paper was used in the windows. 
When glass came it was set in with nails instead 
hous™^^ ^^^ °^ putty. Since there were few if any news- 
papers, all sorts of signs were put up on the 
meeting-house doors and walls, — notices of town meetings, 
marriages, new laws, sales of cattle and farms. 



Sunday, Education, Schools 



167 



On the outer walls were often nailed the bloody heads of 
wolves that had been killed, for which a reward was to be 
paid. On the church green were the pillory, stocks, and 
whipping posts, and a long row of hitching posts for the 
horses, as nearly everybody came on horseback. 

There were various 
ways of calling the 
people to church, such 
as the beating of a 
drum, the blowing of 
a horn or a shell, the 
raising of a flag, the 
firing of a gun, and 
occasionally the ring- 
ing of a church bell. 
In very early times 
every man went to 
church with his gun, 
ready loaded, and set 
it down by the pew in 
case of an Indian at- 
tack. 

Inside the church 
the seats were rough 
benches, or pews with 
high backs that one 

could hardly see over. The pulpit was very high, so that those 
in the pews could see the preacher, though they could not very 
well see one another. The men sat on one side of the church 
and the women on the other. 

The boys were always required to sit on the pulpit or 
gallery stairs where they could be closely watched by the 




Pulpit of Old South Meeting House 



I 68 American History 

tithingman. The churches were not heated, and in winter 
time it was a hard matter to kce]) warm during the long 
service. The women often brought fur bags to put their feet 
in, and the men brought their dogs to put their feet on. 
When the dogs made too much noise they had to be put out. 
Sometimes there were foot stoves which could be carried in 
the hand and contained live coals. These were very com- 
fortable and serviceable for warming cold feet. 

The sermons were usually long and dull. Sometimes 
the preacher, who was often the only warm one in the house, 

went on for two or three hours, and everybody 
71i6 service 

became very tired. There was a tithingman, 

or captain of the watch, whose business it was to look out 

for sleepers. 

He had a long stick with a rabbit's foot on one end and a 
rabbit's tail on the other. If one of the boys or men became 
sleepy and nodded, the tithingman would rap him sharply 
over the head with one end of the stick. If an old lady 
became sleepy and nodded, the tithingman must tickle her 
nose with the rabbit's tail to keep her awake. 

Services were held morning and afternoon, and at the 
noon intermission, if the weather were cold, everybody would 
hasten to the near-by tavern, or to a neighbor's house, and sit 
by a big fire until the time for the afternoon service. 

Sunday was strictly observed. Any unseemly conduct 

was punished by a fine or by a whipping. Every- 

of Sunday body was forbidden to fish, shoot, sail or row 

a boat, dance, jump, or do any work on the 

farm. The use of tobacco near any meeting-house was 

also forbidden. 

Sunday began at sundown on Saturday and lasted until 
sundown on Sunday. Everybody was required to go to 



Sunday, Education, Schools 169 

church. In Virginia in the early times, half an hour before 
service, the captain of the watch stationed sentinels, and 
then searched all the houses to see that everybody was on 
the way to church. 

After the church, in importance, came the schoolhouse. 
In New England free schools were early established by law. 
The school teachers were important people in the commu- 
nity and were much respected. There were few books to 
be had, however, and life in those days was so busy that not 
much time could be spent in going to school. 

The rule of the schoolmaster was very severe, and the 
boys and girls were punished heavily for every offense. In 
many of the colonies the children of the wealthy planters 
and merchants had private teachers. In places where there 
were no teachers, the ministers brought the children together 
and taught them. 

As early as 1636 the colony of Massachusetts founded 
a college at Newtown, afterwards Cambridge. Two years 
later Rev. John Harvard gave his library and Harvard 
seven hundred and fifty pounds to the college. College 
In gratitude for this gift the college was named ®^*^ ^^ ® 
Harvard College. So great was the interest felt in this 
college that at one time every family in New England gave 
something for its support. 

The next college to be founded was William and Mary 
College in Virginia in 1693. The colonists raised £2500, 
and a charter was received from the king and 

r T^ 1 1 r 1 .1 11 William and 

queen of England, for whom the college was ^^^^ college 
named. Other colleges were founded from 
time to time until, at the close of the French and Indian 
War, most of the present great colleges and universities of 
New England and the Middle colonies had been established. 



170 American History 

There were few books for the people to read, because 
there were few printing presses, and books had to be 
brought all the wa\- from England. Public libraries and 
book stores were rare, and it was only the wealthy who had 
a collection of books. It was a matter of great note that 
one \'irginia planter had a library of three thousand 
volumes. 

The first newspaper was -issued in the year 1704, after 
which time a few weekh" or monthly papers appeared in 
various parts of the country. They were small sheets, con- 
taining but httle news, for news was hard to get, and was 
often a month old when it arrived. 

Questions. On what subject were the colonists very strict ? Describe 
the church, or meeting-house. What signs were put on the doors or 
walls? What was put on the outer walls? What was on the church 
green? How were the f>eople called to church? Describe the arrange- 
ments inside. What about the guns in the early times? What about 
the bo>-s? How did people keep warm? WTiat about foot stoves? 

Describe the sermons, ^^'hat was the office of the tithingman? 
How did he keep the people awake? What about the services? The 
intermissions? How w:is Sunda}' observed? What was ever>-body for- 
bidden to do ? What was ever^'body required to do ? 

What about schools and school teachers? AMiat about the rule of 
the schoolmaster? \\'hat did the wealthy planters have? When was 
Harvard College founded? How did it get its name? \Miat was the 
next college to be established? What of books and book stores? What 
about newspapers? 

Written Work. Suppose you had attended a ser\-ice in colonial times, 
and write your impressions of the occasion. 



Servants and Slaves in the Colonies 171 

LESSON 45 
SERVANTS AND SLAVES IN THE COLONIES 

Among those who early came to America was a class of 
white servants known as " indentured servants." They were 
generally poor white boys or girls who could indentured 
not pay for their passage and were bound to servants 
their masters for a number of years, by written agreements, 
called " indentures." 

Even criminals were sent over and sold into service to 
farmers and small manufacturers to pay for their passage. 
Worse than that, there were gangs of kidnap- 

T-' 1 1 1 II • 1 1 • Criminals and 

ers m England who would seize laboring men, vagabonds 

vagabonds, and even children out of the alleys 

and along the wharves of London, and hurry them on 

board ships to be sold into service when they reached 

America. 

There is no means of knowing exactly how many criminals 
and vagabonds were brought to America, but it is estimated 
that there were more than ten thousand, most of these being 
sold into Maryland and the Middle colonies. 

Many of these indentured servants, and about all the crimi- 
nals, were a worthless class of people. When their term of 
service expired, and they were free to do as they pleased, 
they generally pleased to do as little as possible. They 
thus laid the foundations of a lower and criminal order from 
which all the colonies suffered. 

We have already seen that the first negro slaves were 
brought to Virginia in 1619. This was the 

,.. p, ..... Negro slaves 

beginning of negro slavery in America, but it 

soon spread over all the colonies, until every one of them 

had some negro slaves. 



172 American History- 

New England had the fewest slaves of any of the colonies, 
and these were mostly house servants. The Dutch in New 
York also had slaves, but by far the greatest number of negro 
slaves were found in Virginia and the other Southern colonies. 

The negroes coming from Africa, where the climate is 
warm, were not used to cold weather, and could not work out- 
side in the hard winter of the Northern colonies. 

On the other hand, the climate of the South was like 
that of their own native country ; the work was farming, for 
which the negro is adapted, and the kind of work required 
physical strength more than skill. 

Thus the Northern colonies did not find negro-slave labor 
worth the while, and the Southern colonies found it very 
profitable. At one time there were twice as many slaves in 
South CaroKna as there were white people. 

The slave trade became a profitable industry. Ships were 
built in England for the very purpose of going to the coast 
of Africa, buying the negro prisoners that had 
^rade*^* been captured in the wars, and bringing them 
to America for sale. Even the ship captains of 
New England engaged in this business, and after selUng their 
cargoes in London would cruise along the African coast and 
get a shipload of unhappy negroes. 

It is said that in ten years, from 1680 to 1690, nearly fifty 
thousand negroes were thus brought to America. All of 
them were bought at the ships' sides by slave dealers, who 
then sold them to the farmers for laborers. 

In New York in 171 2 there was an uprising of the slaves, 

and again in 1741. To put down these insurrections the 

negroes were treated harshlv. At one time 
Insurrections . , , , "^ . • .1 • . ^1 

twenty-four and at another tmie thirty-three 

were put to death. Nineteen of them were burned alive. 



Servants and Slaves in the Colonies 173 

In 1740 there was an insurrection of the negroes in South 
CaroHna, which was put down with much bloodshed and 
cruelty. 

In this way there grew up in the Southern colonies a great 
slave system. The system continued long after slavery was 
abolished in New England, and was the foundation of a social 
order in the South, and the occasion of a long and bitter 
quarrel and war, of which we shall learn later on in our 
history. 

Questions. Who were indentured servants ? How were they treated ? 
What of criminals ? What did the kidnapers do ? How many do you 
suppose were thus brought to America ? What can you say of this class 
of servants? 

When was negro slavery introduced? What was thought of slave- 
holding at that time? Why were more slaves to be found in the South? 
What made the negroes so valuable to the Southern planters ? What can 
you say of the slave trade? What can you say of the insurrections? 

Written Work. Write the supposed story of a negro who was bought 
in Africa by the captain of a slave ship and sold to a Southern planter. 



PERIOD OF REVOLUTION 



LESSON 46 
CAUSES OF THE REVOLUTION 

We are now to study about a great war known as the 
American Revolution. This was a war between England 
and the colonies in America, caused by unjust and oppres- 
sive laws of the mother country. In this chapter we shall 
see what some of these laws and measures were, and what 
the people thought of them. 

When England planted colonies in America, or agreed 
to people coming here for that purpose, the king had in 
mind only the riches to be gained for England. He cared 
little for the colony ; it was planted for the benefit of the 
mother country. To carry out this idea certain laws were 
passed. 

The first of these laws regulated trade, and were called Navi- 
gation Acts. By these laws the colonies were required to 
. trade with England only. The merchants of 
Acts^^^*°° America could not sell their tobacco, rice, indigo, 
furs, lumber, or anything they raised, made, or 
bought, to any other than Enghsh merchants. 

Then again the people of the colonies were not allowed 
to buy from any merchants except the Enghsh merchants. 
All the French silk and the China teas had to be brought 
to America in Enghsh vessels, so that the Enghsh merchants 
could make their profit on them. This was all very well 

174 



Causes of the Revolution 175 

for the English merchants, but it was hard on the American 
colonists. 

The second unjust law was the one regulating manu- 
factures. It was against the law for the ^aws 
colonists to make anything out of wool and sell regulating 
it in any other colony. The English manu- '^^''''^^^^^'^^ 
facturers wanted the colonists to raise sheep and send 
the wool to England to be made into cloth. 

It was also against the law to put up ironworks in 
America. The English wanted the colonists to dig the iron 
out of the ground and prepare it in foundries for manu- 
facture, then send it to England to be made into plows, axes, 
knives, and other implements. 

It was also against the law for the colonists to make hats, 
although there was plenty of fur on tliis side of the ocean 
to make them with. The English hatters said that the colo- 
nists should get the fur and they would make the hats. All 
this was very well for the English manufacturer, but it was 
hard on the American colonist. 

One of the most oppressive of these laws was that taxing 
certain articles, such as sugar and molasses, of which the 
colonists used a great deal, and on which they 
had to pay a duty before they could bring ^^^53^^^'^^ 
them into the country. Every man who used a 
gallon of molasses had to pay the English government a tax 
of ten cents. 

The colonists began to evade the laws when they could. 
Their own ships would trade with the West Indies and get 
foreign produce and smuggle it into the country. So long 
as the British officials did not find it out, the people did not 
care. In fact, they rather encouraged it, and if anybody 
was caught, the judges were very easy in their punishment. 



1 76 American History 

So the warehouses and stores of the colonists were often 
full of smuggled goods for sale. 

The customhouse officials tried to put a stop to this by 
searching everybody's house. They secured search war- 
rants known as " writs of assistance," which 
oooUo'l-^ allowed them to enter anv man's house and 

assistance 

seize anything they thought had been smuggled 
into the countr}'. With these writs the officers went about 
Boston, breaking into the warehouses, tearing down doors, 
overturning boxes, and searching for goods, which they 
seized at pleasure, whether the goods had been smuggled 
or not. 

This made the people angry, you may be sure. They 
were almost ready to mob the officers, but they tinally decided 

to make a case in law. They employed a young 
if^^*^. ^^^ Boston lawver named Tames Otis to plead their 

James Uus - -" ^ 

cause in the courts. He spoke for live hours 
in defense of the principle that a man's house is liis castle, 
and while he is in it he should be as safe as a prince in his 
palace. 

Otis also declared that Great Britain had no right to tax 
us without our consent, or take our money in any way with- 
out permission. We had no voice in the British 
of 0*^^° Parliament when the laws were made. We were 
not allowed to send our representatives there 
to vote on the laws that taxed us. We were not consulted 
about those laws. We were not allowed to make them in 
our colonial assemblies. In fact, we were taxed without 
being represented. This was taxation without representation, 
which the colonists would not endure. We did not object to 
paying the money, but we did object to having it taken from 
us without our consent. 



Causes of the Revolution i 'j'j 

This speech produced so great an effect that the judges 
were afraid to decide against him. They gave no decision 
at all, which was the same as a victory for Otis ; xaxation 
but there were no more writs of assistance without repre- 
used in Boston or elsewhere. The battle cry ^®'^*^**°'^ 
of the Revolution became " Taxation without representation 
is tyranny." All this happened fifteen years before the 
Revolution actually occurred. 

We must not get the idea that the American colonists 
were opposed to the mother country in feeling. Such was 
not the case. They loved the Old England from which 
their fathers came. 

It was a proud boast to have been in London, or to have 
seen the king pass by in his carriage, or to have seen any of 
the great Englishmen of the day. The colonists had fought 
for the mother country, and were willing to die for her 
interests, but they wanted to be treated as subjects and 
not as dependents. 

Questions. What war are we to study about now? What caused 
the war? What was the king of England's idea in allowing colonies in 
America? What were the first oppressive laws? What did these laws 
require? What were the colonists not allowed to do? What was the 
second unjust law? What were some of the requirements? 

W^hat were some of the oppressive taxes? How did the colonists 
treat these laws? What about smuggling? What were " writs of 
assistance"? What great speech was made and by whom? What 
were some of the things that Otis declared? What efTect did his speech 
produce on the judges? What became the battle cry of the Revolution ? 

What was still the feeling of the colonists toward the mother country? 
What was a proud boast to make ? What were the colonists willing to 
do ? How did they wish to be treated ? 

Written Work. Write a statement of the argument of James Otis 
before the judges. 



178 American History 

LESSON 47 
FIRST ACTS OF RESISTANCE 

Four years after James Otis made his great speech in 
Boston against the writs of assistance, Enghind decided to 
put a new kind of tax on the American people. A law was 
passed in 1765 called the Stamp Act. 

This Act required everybody to use stamped paper for all 

licenses, all bonds and deeds to property, all newspapers, 

books, and printed matter. This paper was 

The Stamp Act . , . t^ , , , , , , ^^ ^ 

prmted m England, stamped, and brought to 
America to be sold to the colonists. The stamped paper 
was sold at from one cent to fifty dollars, according to the 
purpose for which it was to be used. 

The Stamp Act required that persons who married should 
buy a stamped marriage license or they were not legally 
married, but the ministers paid no attention to the laws and 
people were married as before. This Act required all deeds 
to property to be written on stamped paper, but the lawyers 
agreed that deeds were good without the stamps. In fact, the 
people again refused to be taxed without their consent. They 
flatly refused to buy any of the stamped paper. 

Among those who opposed the Stamp Act was the great 

statesman and orator, Patrick Henry of Virginia. When 

the news of the Act arrived he was a member of 

Patrick Henry ^ ,-, xt ^ c 

the House of Burgesses. He tore a leaf out 
of the back of an old law book, wrote on it a resolution de- 
claring that England had no right to lay taxes on the colonies. 
He then had the resolution read to the members, and began 
to speak. It was one of the greatest speeches ever dehvered 
in America. 

At the close of the speech he said in tones of thunder, 



First Acts of Resistance 



179 



" Csesar had his Brutus ; Charles I his Cromwell ; and George 

III " When he reached this point, for George III 

was king of England and it was not lawful to say anything 
against the king, the members rose to their feet and cried 
out "Treason! Treason!" Henry only paused a moment 




Patrick Henry making his famous speech in the House of Burgesses, 
Virginia, denouncing the Stamp Act 

and turned on them, saying, " George III may profit by their 
example. If this be treason, make the most of it." The 
resolutions were passed by a majority of one vote. 

The British Parliament, seeing the opposition of the colo- 
nies, repealed the Stamp Act in 1766. Still Parliament 
believed that the British government had a right 

, , . Tax on tea 

to tax the colonies, and if they would not buy 

stamped paper, probably they would buy something else. 



i8o American History 

Accordingly, in 1767, a law was passed taxing tea, glass, 
paper, and a few other articles. 

The colonists were opposed to this tax also. They had not 
used stamped paper and now they agreed not to use tea. The 
way to avoid the tax is not to use the thing taxed. So 
the people drank sassafras tea instead of tea from China. 
This made the English merchants angry, for they had no sale 
for their cargoes. From Boston to Savannah the tea ships 
lay in the harbor, but nobody wanted tea, nor anything else 
that was taxed by England. 

The Legislature or Assembly of Massachusetts sent out a 
circular letter to all the other colonies, asserting the rights of 
the American people and calling for united action against the 
new taxes. When George III heard of this he was furious, 
and ordered Massachusetts to recall the circular letter. This 
Massachusetts refused to do, and the king had the Assembly 
dissolved. Other assemblies in other colonies were treated 
in the same way, until public business was seriously inter- 
rupted. 

George III foolishly tried to enforce the law by arms. 
Accordingly he sent a body of troops to Boston. The people 
of that town held a meeting, and a day was appointed for 
fasting and prayer. The troops were not allowed the use of 
the people's houses, but had to use the Capitol building to 
hve in. 

After the troops had been there for a year and a half, a 
body of seven of them had a quarrel one night with some 
citizens of the town, and, firing into the crowd, killed five 
B ston people and wounded others. This was known as 

Massacre, the Boston Massacre, and greatly angered the 
March 5. 1770 citizens. The next day Samuel Adams, one of 
the leading men of the colony, called upon the governor and 



First Acts of Resistance 



i8i 



sternly told him to take his soldiers out of town or they 
would be run out by the citizens. By sundown the troops 
had all left, and were on a little island in the harbor.^ 




The British troops in Boston fire into a crowd of citizens 

There were tea ships in the harbor of Boston waiting to 
unload their tea. There were no people willing to buy, and 
there were many who were determined that the tea should 

' Samuel Adams is often called the "Father of the Revolution." He was 
a very stern patriot who had little patience with the British. When he told 
the royal governor to remove the troops from Boston he shook his finger at 
him and said, "The voice of ten thousand freemen must be respected and their 
demands obeyed." Later Adams said with great satisfaction, "I saw his knees 
tremble and his face grow pale. I confess I enjoyed the sight." 

Samuel Adams was the one who organized " Committees of Correspond- 
ence," by means of which the various towns could consult on public matters 
when the legislature was not allowed to assemble. This plan was adopted by 
other states and opened the way for the Continental Congress. 



1 82 American History 

not even be landed or stored in the warehouses of the town. 
The people were of one mind. A great meeting of the 
Boston Tea pcople of Boston was held, and speeches were 
Party, delivered until it grew dark. Some one asked, 

ec. I , 1773 u J wonder how tea would mix with sea water? " 
Suddenly a whoop as of Indians was heard in the streets. 
Everybody rushed outside and found that some citizens had 
disguised themselves as Indians and were on their way to the 
tea ships. They were going to find out how tea and sea 
water would mix. 

The crowd followed, and when the wharf was reached the 
disguised citizens climbed abroad the ships, broke open three 
hundred and forty-two chests of tea, and poured it all into 
the ocean. This is called the Boston Tea Party. 

Other towns had tea parties. In Charleston the tea was 
stored in damp cellars, left to spoil, or else was sold for the 
public good after the war began. At Annapolis a rich ship- 
owner was compelled to set lire to his own ship. The spirit 
of one colony was the spirit of all. America had but one 
voice now, and that was resistance to all forms of injustice 
and tyranny. 

Questions. When was the Stamp Act passed? What did the .\ct 
require? How was the stamped paper prepared? How did the minis- 
ters treat the Stamp Act ? How did the lawyers treat it ? How did 
the people still feel about taxation ? 

Describe the great speech of Patrick Henry. What did the British 
Parliament do ? What new tax act was passed ? What did the colonies 
say about tea ? What did they use in the place of tea ? What angered 
the merchants? What can you say of the tea ships? 

Why did the king dissolve the Assembly of Massachusetts? What 
did the king resolve to do ? What was the Boston Massacre? Describe 
the Boston Tea Party. What other tea parties were held? 

Written Work. Write a description of the Boston Tea Party. 



The First Battle of the Revolution 183 

LESSON 48 
THE FIRST BATTLE OF THE REVOLUTION 

When the news of the way the colonists had treated 
the tea, especially in Boston, reached England, 
Parliament decided to teach the colonies a les- retah^^tjon °^ 
son. To do this they passed several measures. 

The first was to close the port of Boston until the 
tea that had been destroyed was paid for. No ships 
could come in or go out. All trade was stopped, and the 
people had to suffer or submit to the laws. The other 
colonies came to the relief of Boston at once. Money, 
food, and clothing poured in from every side, and the peo- 
ple did not suffer. The universal cry was, " The cause of 
Boston is the cause of all." ^ 

The next measure was to change the charter of Massa- 
chusetts so that all the judges, sheriffs, and other officers 
were to be appointed by the Crown instead of being elected 
by the people. A new military governor, General Thomas 
Gage, was also appointed, but the people paid no attention to 
him, would not pay money into his treasury, and in every 
way ignored him. 

The next measure was to provide that any officers or sol- 
diers who committed murder in the colonies while in discharge 
of their duty, should be sent to England for trial. It was 
thought that this would make them more active, by not leav- 
ing them to be tried by unfriendly juries in America. 

These measures provoked the colonies more and more. 
Sympathy for Massachusetts was expressed everywhere. A 

' South Carolina sent her message to Boston in these ringing words, "The 
whole country must be animated with one great soul, and all Americans must 
stand by one another even unto death." 



i84 



American History 



Congress of delegates from the colonies met in Phila- 
delphia in 1774. It was the first Continental Congress. 
All that this Congress could do, however, was 
tai Congress ' ^^ P^^^ resolutions of resistance to the laws, and 
address a petition to the king, setting forth the 
grievances of the American people. 

The people of Massachusetts called a provincial Congress. 
It met in Concord. This Congress set to work to gather 

guns, powder, shot, 
and cannon in readi- 
ness for the war which 
they saw was sure to 
come. General Gage, 
in Boston, resolved to 
capture these stores 
by sending a body of 
troops secretly about 
twenty miles into the 
country, to take 
them before the peo- 
ple knew what he was 
about. On the way 
to Concord, he also 
wanted to capture 
John Hancock and 
Samuel Adams, two 
noted patriots, who 
were at a friend's 

The First Continental Congress met at houSC in Lexington. 

Philadelphia in 1774 The British soldiers 

were ready to march to Concord, but the Americans sus- 
pected their plans and were watching them. Across the 




The First Battle of the Revolution 185 

river a patriot, Paul Revere, stood mounted and ready. 

When he saw the lantern hung up in the church tower, 

a signal that the troops had started, he rode off 

into the night on the way to Lexington and ^.^^^ 

Concord, shouting as he thundered along the 

roads and through the towns, " The British are coming ! " 

When he came to the house in Lexington where Han- 
cock and Adams were asleep, the man on guard called out 
to him, " Don't make so much noise ! " " Noise ! " cried 
Revere, " there will be noise enough before long : the 
regulars are coming." Hancock knew Revere's voice and 
was soon up. When he heard what was happening, he and 
Adams quickly proceeded to Philadelphia. 

All along the road to Lexington and Concord the people 
rose and armed themselves. When the British reached 
Lexington they found seventy men drawn up and ready to 
meet them. Captain John Parker was commanding them. 
He had said to his men, " Don't fire unless you are fired 
upon; but if they mean to have a war, let it begin here." 
The British commander. Major Pitcairn, on seeing the 
patriots in line, drew his pistol, and pointing it at them, cried 
out, " Disperse, ye villains ! " 

The soldiers, however, did not move.- One of the patriots 
tried to fire his gun, but it flashed and did not go off. The 
British then fired, and several of the Americans were killed. 
After a feeble resistance, Parker retired. 

The British marched on to Concord. When they arrived 
they found that much of the stores had been removed, but 
they began to burn and destroy what was left. 

Everywhere the farmers were pouring in, armed with their 
old muskets and rifles. Crowds had reached Concord, and 
from a neighboring hill they began to shoot at the British 



i86 



American History 



soldiers. The British, ha\ang done all the damage they 
could, started back to Lexington. It was now 
broad day and the highway was hned with the 
indignant jiatriots. 
Behind every tree and bush, from every stone wall and 

every clump of trees came a ceaseless rain of bullets. It 



Battle of 
Lexington 




Major Pitcairn, at Lexington, cried out, ' ' Disperse, ye villains . 



was one long ambush, and the British soon broke into a run. 
The faster they ran the faster came the shots from the 
hidden farmers. Nearly three hundred British were killed 
or captured. When those who were left reached Lexington 
they fell down, completely exhausted by their terrible expe- 
riences. Thus it was that the battle of Lexington, the first 
battle of the Revolution, was fought, April 19, 1775. 



The Battle of Bunker Hill 187 

Collateral Reading. " The Concord Hymn," by Emerson. " Paul 
Revere's Ride," by Longfellow. 

Questions. What was the first measure the British Parliament 
passed? How were the people of Boston relieved? What change took 
place in the charter of Massachusetts? What new law was passed 
regarding the trial of officers and soldiers ? When and where did the first 
Continental Congress meet ? What did this Congress do ? 

What Congress met at Concord ? What provisions did it make for the 
war? What did General Gage resolve to do? Describe Paul Revere's 
ride. Describe the incident at Lexington. What did the British do 
at Concord? Describe the way the British were treated on their way 
back to Lexington. What was this battle called? When was it fought ? 

Written Work. Suppose you had been Paul Revere. Write the 
story of your ride through the country. 



LESSON 49 
THE BATTLE OF BUNKER HILL 

News of the battle of Lexington spread like wildfire. 
Soldiers poured in from all over New England. Israel Put- 
nam, an old hero of many Indian wars, was plow- 
ing in the fields at his home in Connecticut when .? ^° ^^^^ 

° gather 

he heard the news. He left the plow in the fur- 
row, saddled his horse and rode a hundred miles, almost 
without stopping, to join the army near Boston. In a few 
days there was an army of sixteen thousand men around 
Boston. Inside the town was the British army, ten thousand 
strong. 

At Philadelphia a second Continental Congress had met 
and chosen John Hancock president. This Congress organ- 
ized all the troops into a Continental Army, and called for 
volunteers from Virginia, New York, and other colonies. 
They also chose George Washington to be Commander-in- 



I 88 American History 

Chief of the army.^ He departed immediately for Boston to 
take command. Before he arrived, however, another great 
battle was fought, which is known as the battle of Bunker Hill. 

Two months after the Lexington fight the American 
soldiers around Boston began to fortify Breed's Hill, which 
overlooks Boston and is very near to Bunker 
Bunker Hill ^^^^- One night in June a thousand men dug 
trenches there and threw up breastworks to 
protect themselves. The next day, June 17, 1775, the 
British moved up to take this fort. The Americans had but 
little powder and shot, and their officers told them not to 
fire until they could see the whites of the enemy's eyes. 

On came the British up the hill. When they were within 
a hundred feet of the fort the order to fire was given. The 
Americans rose up and poured a deadly fire right into the 
faces of the British and then dropped behind their breast- 
works. Again this was done, until the British retreated 
twice under the deadly fire. 

On the third attack the ammunition of the Americans 
gave out, and as the British moved up to the fort the brave 
patriots met them with clubbed muskets and heavy stones. 

But the Americans were forced to retire, leaving the 
British in possession. They had made a noble fight, and 
the battle of Bunker Hill will long remain in the memory of 
the nation as one of the heroic conflicts of the great war. 

^ Modesty is always a becoming trait in a great man. When Washington 
was chosen Commander-in-Chief he said to the Continental Congress, "I beg 
it may be remembered by every gentleman in this room that I this day declare 
with utmost sincerity I do not think myself ecjual to the command I am 
honored with." 

Nevertheless he agreed to accept the command, saying, "I do not wish to 
make any profit from it. T will keep an exact account of my expenses. Those 
I doubt not they (Congress) will discharge. This is all 1 desire," 



The Battle of Bunker Hill 1 89 

When Washington, who was on his way to Boston, heard 
of the battle of Bunker Hill from a courier who met him, 
he anxiously asked, " How did the militia stand the fire of 
the British regulars?" ''Well," was the reply. "Then," 
said he, " the liberty of the country is secured." 

The very day the second Continental Congress met, and 
before the battle of Bunker Hill had been fought, Ethan 
Allen and a few men surprised the British fort 
at Ticonderoga on Lake Champlain. The Com- Tfj-ondero a"*^ 
mander of the fort was a friend of Ethan 
Allen, and when he opened the door he was surprised to see 
Allen there with three hundred soldiers. " By what 
authority do you ask me to surrender? " said he. " In the 
name of the great Jehovah and the Continental Congress," 
answered Allen. He then seized the fort with all its cannon, 
arms, and supplies. 

Daniel Webster and the Bunker Hill Oration. At the laying of 
the corner stone of the Bunker Hill monument in 1825 Daniel Webster 
delivered a great oration. The eager crowd pressed forward and came 
near carrying away the platform on which the speakers were sitting. They 
asked him to appeal to the crowd to move back. Webster paused in his 
speech and begged those in front to desist. " We cannot, Mr. Webster," 
they cried; "it is impossible." "Impossible!" thundered the great 
orator. " Nothing is impossible on Bunker Hill." The great crowd, 
swayed by his eloquent words, rolled back like the waves from the shore. 

Collateral Reading. " Oration at the Laying of the Corner Stone 
of Bunker Hill IVIonument," by Daniel Webster. 

Questions. What effect did the news of the battle of Lexington pro- 
duce? What can you say of Putnam? How many men gathered around 
Boston? How strong were the British? Who was chosen president of 
the second Continental Congress? What did that Congress do? 

How did the battle of Bunker Hill begin? When was it fought? 
What order was given? Describe the attack and the retreat. 

"Written Work. Write an account of the battle of Bunker Hill. 



190 



American History 



LESSON 50 
THE PROGRESS OF THE WAR 

Two weeks after the battle of Bunker Hill, George 
Washington arrived near Boston and took command of the 
Washington troops. The ceremony took place under an elm 
takes com- tree in Cambridge, a spot that will ever be dear 
™^"'^ to the American hearts. He estabhshed his 

headquarters in a house that afterwards became the home of 




Under the historic elm tree ac Caowndye, inuss., Washington assumes 
command of the army 

the poet Longfellow. Over the headquarters proudly floated 
our first national flag. This flag had thirteen red and white 
stripes, but in place of the stars was displayed the " Union 
Jack," the British colors. 

Washington commanded only fifteen thousand men, — not 
much of an army. These men had almost no guns, were poorly 



The Progress of the War 191 

trained, and knew little about the duties of a soldier. It took 
nearly nine months for Washington to drill them, and see that 
they were organized into companies and made ready for actual 
war. The British stayed quietly and comfortably in Boston 
while all this was going on. 

After a time Washington was ready to attack the British. 
Fifty cannon had been dragged on ox sleds all the way from 
the captured fort of Ticonderoga, and enough powder was 
at hand to load them. Accordingly, in March, 1776, Wash- 
ington seized Dorchester Heights, which overlooked Boston 
on the south. 

When the cannon were in position he sent word to General 
Howe ^ to move out of Boston or be prepared for an attack. 
When General Howe saw the cannon he thought 
it best to move out. He and his army, with about j^^^^^ Boston 
a thousand of the citizens who sympathized 
with the king, and on that account were called " Tories," 
went on board their ships and sailed away to Halifax. 

Washington then marched into Boston. He had captured 
the town without losing a man. Everywhere there was 
rejoicing, and Congress voted him a gold medal in honor of 
the event. 

While this was going on, the British in Canada threat- 
ened to move down on the towns in New York. To give 
them something else to think about, General 
Montgomery of New York marched against jn^o^canada 
Montreal and captured it. Benedict Arnold, 
from Connecticut, started overland with a thousand men to 
join Montgomery in an attack on Quebec. 

1 About the time that the battle of Lexington was fought the British 
government recalled General Gage to England and placed General Howe in 
command of the troops in Boston. 



192 



American History 



Arnold and his men marched through the forests of Maine 
for six dreadful weeks. The food gave out and the soldiers 
suffered dreadfully. Many of them deserted and went back 
to their homes. When the rest reached Quebec they were 




Arnold and his men march through the forests of Maine on their 
way to Quebec 

so ragged, footsore, and weak that they were not fit for 
service. 

Montgomery had a few hundred men. He and Arnold 
stormed the great fortress which Wolfe had captured from 
the French. Montgomery was killed, Arnold was badly 
wounded, and the American army was compelled to retire 
from Canada. 

Several months before Howe evacuated Boston a force 



The Progress of the War 



193 



under the British General CHnton was sent to subdue the 
southern colonies. This force reached Charles- ^j^^ British 
ton. When the brave people of that colony attack 
heard of the approach of the enemy, they went 
to work building forts. On Sullivan's Island a fort was made 



Charleston 




Sergeant Jasper leaps upon the parapet at Fort Moultrie and 
replaces the fallen flag 



of palmetto logs and earth, cannon were mounted, and Colonel 
Moultrie was placed in command. 



I 94 American History 

When the British arrived they attacked the fort, but 
the cannon balls sank into the earth or into the soft palmetto 
wood and did little damage. Colonel Moultrie replied so 
vigorously all day that when night came the British decided 
they could not land. They raised their anchors and sailed 
northward to attack New York. The fort has ever since 
been called Fort Moultrie. 

While the battle was in progress, the flagstaff was broken 
by a cannon ball. Sergeant Jasper, seeing the flag fall over 
the wall, leaped down outside, in the face of a furious fire 
from the enemy, seized the flag, fixed it in its place, and 
returned unharmed. For this brave act he was presented 
with a handsome sword. 

History of the Flag. Among the early flags used by the colonies 
was one under which the Virginia troops fought in 1775. It held the 
picture of a rattlesnake, with the words, " Don't tread on me," and also the 
famous words of Patrick Henry, " Liberty or death." 

In Massachusetts the troops used a banner having a picture of a pine 
tree, with the words, " An appeal to Heaven." 

In Charleston harbor Colonel Moultrie raised a blue flag with a white 
crescent in one corner. 

Still another flag was used by some of the troops, showing the thirteen 
stripes with a rattlesnake across them. 

June 14, 1777, Congress adopted a flag of thirteen stripes, alternate red 
and white, with the union, consisting of thirteen white stars in a blue field. 

It is said that the first flag was made by Mrs. Elizabeth Ross of Phila- 
delphia. This flag was first used in the battle at Brandywine, in 1777. 
Captain John Paul Jones first displayed the flag at sea, flying it from the 
masthead of his flagship. It was also first shown by him in a foreign 
port. The thirteen stripes still continue in the present flag to represent 
the original thirteen colonies, but the stars have been increased from 
time to time to represent the number of states. 

Questions. Where did Washington take command of the army ? In 
what house did he have his headquarters? Describe our first flag. 



The Declaration of Independence 195 

What was the condition of the army ? What did Washington have to do ? 
How did Washington begin his movements against the British ? What 
order did he send General Howe? What did Howe do? What did 
Washington do? What did the British threaten? What place did 
General Montgomery capture? Describe the expedition of Arnold into 
Canada. With what result? Where did the British now sail? How 
were they received? What was the brave act of Sergeant Jasper? 

Written Work. Write the story of Sergeant Jasper. 



LESSON 51 
THE DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE 

The war had been going on now for a year. It was plain 
to everybody that a long and stubborn conflict was at hand. 
The Americans up to this time had been fighting for their 
rights as colonists and subjects of the British government. 
Even Washington, when he took charge of the army, had no 
idea of fighting for anything else. 

It became evident, however, that the king did not intend 
the Americans to have their rights as subjects. To make 
matters worse, the king had hired about thirty thousand Hes- 
sian^ soldiers to put down what he called " the rebelHon in 
America." When this became known the people of Amer- 
ica with one voice declared for independence from Great 
Britain and its unwise king. 

In June, 1776, Richard Henry Lee of Virginia proposed 
in Congress, then in session in Philadelphia, that " these 
united colonies are and of right ought to be free and inde- 
pendent states." John Adams of Massachusetts joined him 
in urging the independence of the colonies. 

1 The Hessians were German soldiers hired mainly from the province of 
Hesse-Cassel. After the war many of them settled in America and became 
good citizens. 



196 



American History 



A committee of five was appointed to draw up a Decla- 
ration of Independence. Thomas Jefferson of Virginia wrote 
Declaration ^^- J^^^ Adams of Massachusetts, Benjamin 
of inde Franklin of Pennsylvania, Roger Sherman 'of 

pen ence Connecticut, and Robert R. Livingston of New 

York made some suggestions. Thus we see that all parts 



HS^ 

«■-»_.: 

>. 


! 


F^^ ,-1^ 


M 


IJ 








^4 






le.... 


a^U ^^R^* 'T'^ ' 


■^'^'^-;^* J^ • 








mm^m 


Wm-'mit^ 





Independence Hall, Philadelphia, where the Declaration of 
Independence was signed 



of our country were concerned in the preparation of that 
most famous of American state papers. 

July 4th, 1776, the Declaration of Independence was 
formally adopted. The bell-ringer in the belfry was in 
readiness to give out the news to the people. A boy 
was stationed in the hall below to announce the vote. 
The boy cried out, "Ring! Ring!" The ringer pulled 
the bell rope vigorously, and the notes of liberty rang 



The Declaration of Independence 1 97 



out over Philadelphia and over the waiting crowds be- 
low. The town went wild with joy. People shouted and 
embraced each other, 
bonfires were built, 
processions marched 
through the streets.^ 
John Hancock was 
the first to sign the 
Declaration of Inde- 
pendence. He signed 
his name in a large, 
bold hand, " so that 
the king could read 
it without spectacles," 
he declared. Then the 
others signed it in 
order. When Charles 
Carroll came to sign it 
some one said, " You 
are safe, for there are 
so many Carrolls in 
Maryland that the 
king will not find 
you." " Then I will 
make it certain who 
I am," said he, and wrote Charles Carroll of Carrollton. Ben- 
jamin Franklin quaintly remarked, " Now we must all hang 
together, or else most assuredly we shall all hang separately." 

1 The bell which rang out the glad news of the adoption of the Declaration 
of Independence has ever since been known as "Liberty Bell." .\s if by 
inspiration it bore the inscription, "Proclaim liberty throughout the land unto 
all the inhabitants thereof." It is among the most sacred of American relics 
and is carefully preserved in Independence Hall, Philadelphia. 




The members of the Continental Congress sign 
the Declaration of Independence 



198 American History 

The news of the Declaration of Independence was carried 
to all the colonies as fast as possible. However, news 
traveled slowly in those days, and it was not 
rtiepeipk"^ until August loth that word reached Georgia, 
the last of the colonies. The great news was 
hailed with joy. Bonfires were lighted, parades were formed, 
and speeches were made in honor of the event. In New 
York so great was the enthusiasm of the people that they 
pulled down a leaden statue of George III, and melted it 
into bullets with which to tight his soldiers. 

The Declaration was read at the head of the army, and 
from the pulpit and platform. Everywhere, from one end 
of the country to the other, the people rejoiced that they 
were to tight henceforth for their independence as a nation, 
rather than for their rights as subjects. 

The Declaration of Independence made us independent. 
We were no longer Colonies ; we had become States. We 
were no longer dependent on England ; we had to depend on 
ourselves. From that time we proposed to be a free and 
independent people, to make our own laws, choose our own 
rulers, and, under the guidance of God, to wt)rk out our own 
destiny. 

The Mecklenburg Declaration. As soon as il was known that tlie 
English Parliament consiilercd the .^meritan colonies in a state of rebel- 
lion, the people of Mecklenburg County, North Carolina, held a con- 
vention in Charlotte, May. 1775- Resolutions were passed by those 
patriotic citizens declaring that they no longer owed allegiance to the 
British Crown, but were henceforth subject only to the Provincial Con- 
gress of North Carolina, and to the Continental Congress of all the States. 
These resolutions were passed more than a year before the great Declara- 
tion of Independence. 

Questions. What was now plain to everybody? For what had the 
Americans been lighting up to this time? What soldiers had the king 



The British Enter New York 199 

hired? What did the people with one voice declare for? What resolu- 
tion did Richard Henry Lee introduce in Congress? Who wrote the 
Declaration of Independence? When was it formally adopted? What 
did the bell-ringer do ? How did the people act ? 

Who was the first to sign the Declaration? What did he say at the 
time? What can you say of Charles Carroll of Carrollton? What did 
Benjamin Franklin remark? How was the news received by the people 
of all the colonies? What did the Declaration make us? What can you 
say of the Mecklenburg Declaration? 

Written Work. Write an account of the signing of the Declaration 
of Independence. 

LESSON 52 
THE BRITISH ENTER NEW YORK 

The British, who had moved out of Boston and been 
defeated at Charleston, now decided to attack New York 
and get control of the Hudson River. They thus hoped to 
separate New England from the rest of the country. They 
could then move against Boston or Philadelphia as they 
chose. 

Washington hastened from Boston to New York and made 
ready for the attack. He built two forts on opposite sides 
of the Hudson River, and sank vessels in the channel so 
that the enemy's ships could not move up the river. General 
Putnam was stationed in a fort on Long Island, at Brooklyn 
Heights. 

The British army, under General Howe, landed on Staten 
Island.^ They then crossed over to Long Island with a large 

1 When General Howe reached Staten Island he sent a letter addressed to 
"George Washington, Esq.," offering pardon to all those who had taken up 
arms against England if they would return to their allegiance. Washington 
returned the letter unoi)ened. Howe then sent a messenger to explain the 
contents of the letter. The messenger received a courteous reply, saying the 
Americans had done nothing for which to ask pardon. 



200 American History 



force. General Putnam went out to meet them. A 
battle was fought August 27, 1776, known as 

Long Island 



the battle of Long Island. The British, how 



ever, were too strong for Putnam. The little 
American army was defeated, and retired within its 
fortifications. 

General Howe now thought he could capture the Ameri- 
can army. That night a dense fog came up. Under cover 
of the fog and darkness General Washington moved all his 
men in boats across the river. The next morning when the 
British moved up to the fort they found it empty. Washing- 
ton and his army were in New York. 

The British, however, planted their cannon on Brooklyn 
Heights and could easily command the city, so that Washing- 
ton was obliged to leave New York and march northward. 
In this way New York fell into the hands of General Howe 
and the British troops. 

One of the sad incidents of the occasion was the fate of 

Captain Nathan Hale of Connecticut, who volunteered to 

enter the British lines and find out their plans. 
Nathan Hale ^ 

He dressed as a school teacher, went to the 

British camp as though he were a resident of Long Island, 

and took notes of all he saw. He had gained valuable 

knowledge for Washington, and was on the point of taking 

a boat for New York, when some one recognized him and 

took him prisoner. Of course he was a spy and cduld offer 

no excuse. It was all in the fortune of war. He should 

not have been in the enemy's hnes. He was hanged in a 

few days. His last words were, " I only regret that I have 

but one life to lose for my country." 

Misfortunes now came fast upon General Washington and 

his army. General Howe advanced with a large force 



The British Enter New York 



20I 



against one of the forts on the river, and it was captured 
with three thousand men. General Cornwalhs Retreat across 
had arrived and taken command of the British ^®^ Jersey 
forces, and on one side of the river was pressing Washing- 
ton very hard. 

Washington ordered General Charles Lee, who was on the 
other side, to cross over and help him, but General Lee will- 




Washington and his Army retreat across New Jersey in the dead of 
winter, 1776 



fully disobeyed orders and stayed where he was. Washing- 
ton saw that he could not hold the other fort, so he left it to 
the enemy and began a retreat across New Jersey. 

As Washington retreated he destroyed the bridges, cut 
trees across the roads, and destroyed all provisions on the 



202 American History 

way, so that Cornwallis, who started in pursuit, had a hard 
time of it. It took the British three weeks to travel seventy- 
miles. They were close behind the Americans, however, 
and often Washington was barely out of one side of a town 
before the red coats of the enemy were seen on the other side. 

Discontent seized upon the people and army. Here was 
a miserable, ragged, poorly fed, badly equipped army of 
Americans hotly pursued by a large, well-armed, and well- 
fed body of British soldiers. Everybody was discouraged 
except Washington. 

General Charles Lee with a small army followed his com- 
mander, whom he had disobeyed. One night he went to 
sleep in a tavern about four miles from his troops, and the 
British suddenly appeared and captured him. His capture 
was not a serious loss, for he was a vain, envious man, who 
wanted to be commander-in-chief, and who gave Washing- 
ton a great deal of trouble. 

General Reed. During the Revolution, when General Reed was 
president of Congress, the British commissioner offered him a bribe of 
ten thousand guineas, about fifty thousand dollars, if he would desert 
the cause of his country. To this the noble patriot replied, " Sir, I am 
poor, very poor indeed ; but poor as I am, the king of England is not rich 
enough to buy me." 

Questions. What did the British now resolve to do? What did 
they hope to accompUsh by it ? What did Washington do? What was 
the result of the battle of Long Ishind? How did General Washington 
rescue his army from capture? Why was Washington obliged to leave 
New York ? 

Relate the sad story of the fate of Nathan Hak\ What became of one 
of the forts held by Washington? How did General Charles Lee dis- 
obey orders? What did Washington then do? Describe the retreat 
across New Jersey. How did he annoy the British? In what condition 
were the people and the army? Describe the capture of General Lee. 

Written Work. Write the story of Nathan Hale. 



Battles of Trenton and Princeton 



203 



LESSON 53 
BATTLES OF TRENTON AND PRINCETON 

Washington with his army crossed the Delaware River at 
Trenton. It was now December, 1776. The weather was 
cold, and the river was full of floating ice. A force of 
Hessian soldiers had reached Trenton and were waiting to 




Washington receives the surrender of a thousand Hessian soldiers 
at Trenton 

cross the river in pursuit of Washington. They began to 
celebrate Christmas by drinking and carousing. They 
thought Washington, having crossed the river, was still in 
full retreat. 

Christmas night, however. General Washington put his 
men into boats, recrossed the half-frozen Dela- 
ware, and in a furious snowstorm marched Trenton* 
against the Hessian camp and surprised the 
soldiers at their revels. He captured a thousand prisoners 



204 American History 

and a large quantity of arms. This was the brilHant victory 
of Trenton, and those who were in despair now began to 
rejoice. It was a happy Christmas in the colonies when 
news of this event became known. 

In spite of this, however, the poor soldiers of the patriotic 
army were in dreadful distress. Winter was at hand ; they had 
no shoes, no clothing, poor food, bad shelter, and no money. 
They thought of their wives and children at home. They 
clamored for money that would buy things, and not for the 
paper money which Congress printed by the cartload and 
which was almost worthless. 

In his distress, Washington wrote to his friend Robert 

Morris, a banker in Philadelphia, asking him to send fifty 

thousand dollars in cash to keep the army to- 

Robert Morris ^^er. Robert Morris read the letter and 

raises money » 

started out before daybreak on New Year's Day. 
He went from house to house, begging for gold and silver 
to pay the half-starved soldiers, and reheve the wants of 
their families. He had very httle trouble in raising the 
money. It was sent to Washington, and paid out to the 
soldiers, and it was used by them to procure the necessities 
of life for themselves and their families at home. 

CornwaUis now moved against Washington. He found 

him near Trenton, where he had captured the 
Victory at Hcssians, with the Delaware River behind him. 

Jrnnceton ' 

" Now I will bag the old fox," he said, and went 
to sleep, thinking he had Washington in a trap. 

That night, to deceive Cornwallis, Washington left a few 
men to keep his camp fires burning and make a noise as 
if they were throwing up breastworks. He then moved 
his men out of the trap and appeared at Princeton before 
Cornwallis knew he had gone. A battle was fought in 



Battles of Trenton and Princeton 205 

which ihe British were defeated (Jan. 3, 1777). Then 
Washington made his Uttle army safe at Morristown for 
the rest of the winter. 

Things began to look better for the Americans. Wash- 
ington had proved to be a great general, and was the pride 

and hope of the American cause. In the sum- 

'■ Lafayette 

mer of 1777, the Marquis de Lafayette, a young 

French nobleman, nineteen years of age, came over and offered 
his services to Washington. He became a famous general 
and was always a devoted friend of Washington and of the 
cause of hberty. He spent much of his own money in clothing 
and food for the soldiers. 

With him also came Baron de Kalb. Among others who 
came was Baron Steuben, who was of great service in drilling 
the soldiers and showing them how to act in battle. Kos- 
ciusko and Pulaski, two brave Polish patriots, also threw their 
fortunes in with the brave Americans who were lighting for 
the independence of their native land. 

The Cost of a Game of Cards. The Hessian commander at Trenton 
was named Rail. He had made his headquarters in the house of Abra- 
ham Hunt, a merchant of the place. Rail was very fond of drinking 
and playing cards. On Christmas night he and Hunt were in a warm 
room, before a big fire with plenty to drink before them, and a game of 
cards in progress. 

A servant came in and handed Rail a note. He was so interested 
in the game of cards that he thrust the note in his pocket and forgot it. 
The next time he thought of it he was being carried mortally wounded 
into a tavern near by, and Washington had taken a large body of his 
troops as prisoners. When the note was opened it was found to contain 
a warning of the plans of Washington, which was sent by a tory and de- 
livered to the servant at Hunt's house. What a difference in the history 
of our country was caused by a game of cards ! • 

Questions. What river had Washington crossed? What can you 
say of the weather and the river? Where were the Hessians? Describe 



2o6 American History 

how Washington captured the Hessians. How did the soldiers suffer? 
What service did Morris render to Washington? 

How did Washington escape from Cornwallis? What was the result 
of the battle of Princeton? What can you say of Lafayette? What 
service did Steuben render? What others came over to help the Ameri- 
cans? Tell the story of Rail and the game of cards. 

Written Work. If you had been one of Washington's soldiers when 
he attacked the Hessians, what account would you write of it? 



LESSON 54 
SURRENDER OF BURGOYNE 

The summer of 1777 had come, and the scene of war was 
changed to New York. General Burgoyne, the British com- 
mander, marched into New York State with 
ian^°^°^ ^ eight thousand men, going by way of Lake Cham- 
plain, and capturing Fort Ticonderoga on the way. 
He expected General Howe to move up from New York City 
and meet him at Albany. Then the British would hold the 
Hudson River, and the plan of separating New England 
from the rest of the country would be carried out. 

However, the plan did not work very well. General 
Schuyler (Ski' ler) , the American commander, was in front 
of Burgoyne's march. He burned all the bridges, cut down 
trees across the roads, and did everything he could to harass 
the British troops. So slow was Burgoyne's progress that 
he was twenty-four days going twenty-six miles. Burgoyne's 
horses died of fatigue, and food for the soldiers was scarce. 

Burgoyne heard that a quantity of provisions was stored at 
Bennington, Vermont, and he sent a thousand men to cap- 
ture these supplies for his men. Colonel John Stark started 
out to meet the British. When he came in sight of them 



Surrender of Biirgoyne 207 

he said to his troops, " There they are, boys ; we beat 

them to-day, or Molly Stark's a widow." The 

men rushed upon " the redcoats," as the British „^ ^ *\ 

^ Bennington 

were called, and whipped them so completely that 

hardly a hundred out of the thousand reached safety in Bur- 

goyne's camp. 

Burgoyne went on his way towards Albany, and reached 
Saratoga. General Gates took command of the American 
forces. No help came from New York, and gattigg 
Burgoyne was in a bad phght. Fighting took around 
place at several places around Saratoga. At "^^^sa 
Stillwater some of the American soldiers climbed tall trees, 
and, hidden by the leaves, easily killed a number of British 
officers. 

General Benedict Arnold acted with great bravery. He 
could be seen on his horse riding over the field where the 
smoke and flame of battle were thickest. His horse was 
killed under him, and he himself was wounded in the leg. 

General Burgoyne withdrew toward Saratoga. He was 

surrounded by the Americans, and exposed to a deadly fire 

from their cannon and muskets. There was not 

a safe place even for the wounded, or for the ""^" ^^ 
^ _ 'of Burgoyne 

women and children. Burgoyne decided to 
surrender. As the officers were deliberating about the 
matter, a large cannon ball swept across the table where 
Burgoyne and his men were sitting. This hastened their 
decision, and they sent word to General Gates that they 
would surrender. 

Oct. 17, 1777, General Burgoyne gave his sword to Gen- 
eral Gates. His army was surrendered, and the men were 
marched off to Boston. It was a great victory, and entirely 
changed the British plans for carrying on the war. There 



2o8 American History 

was now no danger of the British holding all the Hudson 
River. They were shut up in New York City, and Washing- 
ton was watching them closely. 

News of the surrender of Burgoyne was received in Eng- 
land with great dismay. In America everybody rejoiced and 
took courage. When the king of France heard about it, he 
said that the Americans were worthy of independence. Ac- 
cordingly he acknowledged the independence of America, 
and was ready to help carry on the war. 

Thus we see that the battle of Saratoga had two important 
results : first, it broke up the British plans for carrying on the 
war ; and second, it secured for us the alliance and friendship 
of France. 

Let us see why the British in New York did not come to 
the aid of Burgoyne as he expected. General Howe, who 
The British ^^'^^ ^^^^ ^^ command at New York, thought he 
move on could march over and capture Philadelphia, and 

Philadelphia ^^^^ ^^^ ^^^^ ^^ ^-^^ ^^ ^^^^ troops up the 

river. Washington was not asleep, however, and as soon as 
the British moved out of New York he harassed them so 
much that they decided to abandon the land march and try 
a sea trip to Philadelphia. 

General Howe then sailed south and entered Chesapeake 
Bay. He landed at the head of it and marched against 
Philadelphia. Washington had hurried to meet him, and 
gave battle at Brandywine Creek, but was defeated (Sept. 
II, 1777). After a two weeks' march Howe entered Phila- 
delphia, and took possession of the capital of the United 
Colonies. Washington by his strategy had delayed the 
capture of the city so long that Howe found it was too late 
to help Burgoyne, and so he left him to his fate. What 
that fate was we already know. 




Wak Tkkkiioky in iMK Eastkkn and Midulk States 



Surrender of Burgoyne 209 

The summer was now over. Burgoyne had been defeated 
and the Hudson River was safe. The British still held 
New York, and General Howe was in posses- 
sion of Philadelphia. Here he made hmiself and ph^iad^/hi * 
his troops snug for the winter. They had warm 
houses, plenty of food and clothing, and spent the cold w^in- 
ter in peace and comfort. There were so many parties and 
balls that Franklin wrote from Paris that Howe had not 
taken Philadelphia, but Philadelphia had taken Howe. 

Not so the poor American troops under the brave 
Washington. They had " retired to Valley Forge, about 
fourteen miles from Philadelphia, to watch the Washington 
British if they should start for New York. Rude at Vaiiey 
log cabins were built, Hned with clay, each accom- °^^^' '^^"^ 
modating about a dozen men. 

Then the winter settled down, the snow fell, and the rain 
and sleet came. It was a terrible winter. There was but 
httle wood to be had, and often the men had to huddle to- 
gether to keep warm. There was not enough food, and 
frequently the soldiers were on the point of starving. There 
.was almost no clothing, the soldiers were ragged and bare- 
foot, and often the snow was stained from their bleeding feet. 

The Patriotism of Lydia Darrah. When the British held Phila- 
delphia, the headquarters of the adjutant general were in the house of a 
Quaker named Darrah. One night the ofl&cer said to Mrs. Darrah, whose 
name was Lydia, " I will have some friends here to-night, so you may pre- 
pare the best room for me and them, and then you and the members of 
your family may go to bed at an early hour." 

The room was prepared, and the friends came. The family went to 
bed, but Lydia rose and stole in her stocking-feet to the door of the room 
and overheard the officers talking. She heard them discussing an order 
from General Howe arranging for a secret attack on Washington. That 
was enough for the brave woman. The next morning, on the pretense of 



210 American History- 

going to the mill for flour, she trudged through the snow for five miles and 
gave word to Washington of his danger. 

The British tried to make the attack, but Washington was ready for 
them, to their great chagrin. When the troops marched back in disgust 
at their failure to surprise the Americans, the officer remarked, " It is 
very strange how Washington could have found out our purpose. I 
cannot understand it." Mrs. Darrah could have told him, but she did 
not. This was but one instance of many in which the heroism of the 
women in the cause of liberty was shown during the war. 

Questions. What were the movements of General Burgoyne? 
What did he expect General Howe to do? How did General Schuyler 
annoy the British march? Describe the battle of Bennington. What 
did Colonel Stark say to his troops ? Describe the progress of Burgoyne's 
advance. What happened at Stillwater? Describe the bravery of 
Benedict Arnold. 

Upon what did Burgoyne decide? When did Burgoyne surrender? 
What two important results followed the battle of Saratoga? What had 
the British in New York decided upon? What city did General Howe 
capture? Where did Washington and his soldiers spend the winter? 
What were their sutTerings? Tell the story of Lydia Darrah. 

Written Work. Write a description of the sufferings of the soldiers 
at Valley Forge. 



LESSON 55 
THE WAR IN THE SOUTH 

After the winter of 1777 had passed, the British left Phil- 
adelphia and started for New York. Washington followed 
Battle of them closely and a battle was fought at Mon- 

Monmouth, mouth, which would have been a brilliant victory 
' ^^'^ for the Americans if General Charles Lee (who 
had been exchanged for a British general) had not directly 
disobeyed orders. 



The War in the South 21 1 

Instead of attacking the British, he retreated, against the 
positive orders of Washington. The Commander-in-Chief 
was angry. He sternly rebuked Lee in no measured words, 
and ordered him to the rear. Later Lee was tried by court- 
martial and dismissed from the army. 

This was the last great battle on Northern soil. The Brit- 
ish reached New York, and Washington stretched his hnes 
around them. Here we shall leave him watching the enemy 
ceaselessly day and night. For the next three years the 
scene of war was changed to the Southern colonies, where 
the great conflict was destined to come to an end. 

The British plan was to begin with Georgia and conquer 
each colony northward separately. To carry out this design, 
a fleet sailed from New York, landed at Savannah, British overrun 
and captured the city (Dec. 29, 1778). A short Georgia and 
time after, a British force captured Augusta and 
took possession of other small towns. This remote colony 
offered as brave resistance as it could, but, left to its own 
resources, it was no match for the trained soldiers of England. 
The British kept Savannah in spite of a desperate effort to 
retake it in the fall of 1779. 

In the spring of 1780 a British fleet under Sir Henry 
Clinton and Lord CornwaUis sailed from New York to 
Savannah. The troops went overland to attack Charleston, 
where General Lincoln had collected a small army for defense. 
Besieged by land and sea, the city could not hold out, and 
was surrendered with all the soldiers and a large quantity of 
supplies (May 12, 1780). Thus Georgia and South Caro- 
lina fell under the control of the British. Clinton sailed 
back to New York, leaving CornwaUis to push the conquest 
northward. The British plan so far had succeeded, and two 
of the Southern colonies were for a time in their hands. 



212 American History 

The patriots in the South could now offer but httle resist- 
ance to the British. War was kept up in an irregular way by 

small bands of soldiers, who gathered in swamps 
warfar^ and dense thickets and descended upon the 

British camps, shot at them from ambush, cap- 
tured their horses, harassed their rear guards, and, if pursued, 
vanished into the swamps. 

Among the leaders were Francis Marion, who was called 
the " Swamp Fox," and Thomas Sumter, the " Carolina Game 

Cock." These men led brave bands of South 
Marion Carolina patriots, hovering over the enemy like 

a cloud, worrying them always, but rarely coming 
to actual battle. When pursued they and their men fled 
to the swamps for safety. 

Once, under a flag of truce, Marion met a British officer 
and invited him to dinner. When the meal was ready, it 

consisted of a few roasted potatoes, served on 
dinner pieces of bark. " Do you usually have this for 

food? " asked the British officer in astonishment. 
" Yes," said Marion, " except that to-day we have a few more 
than usual, on account of our guest." 

When the officer went back to his friends, he told them it 
was idle and foolish to fight against soldiers who would endure 
such privations for the sake of liberty. 

Everywhere the people suffered from the cruelty of the 
British troops. Houses were burned, crops were destroyed, 

cattle were stolen, and often murder was com- 
the To^le*' mitted. The patriotic women made bullets out of 

their pewter dishes, made clothing for the soldiers 
in the field, and hid their provisions from the bands of tories. 

Collateral Reading. " The Song of Marion's Men," by W. C. 
Bryant. 



The War in the South 



213 




214 



American History- 



Nancy Hart. Nancy Hart lived in a cabin in Elbert County, Georgia. 
She was a tall, strong, cross-eyed, high-tempered woman who cordially 
hated the British. A party of them gave her a visit one day while her 
husband was at work in the field. They ordered her to cook them a 
breakfast. She soon had the smoking meal before them. They stacked 
their guns in a corner and sat down to eat. Nancy edged round to the 
guns and, seizing one, pointed it at the British, saying, " I will shoot the 
first man that moves." No one could tell from her cross-eyes whom 
she was aiming at, and all sat terrified and trembling. 

" Go," said she to one of 
her children, " and tell your 
father I have captured six 
base tories." One of the men 
advanced upon her. She fired, 
and the man fell dead. Seiz- 
ing another musket, she held 
the others at bay until her hus- 
band and several men arrived. 
The tories were then taken out 
and hanged in front of the 
cabin, Nancy declaring that 
shooting was too good for 
them. 

Molly Pitcher. .\t the 
battle of Monmouth. Molly 
Pitcher was busily engaged 
carrying water to the thirsty 
soldiers. Her husband was 
serving one of the cannon, and 
was shot down in her presence. 
She did not stop to waste time in tears, but seizing the ramrod she 
undertook to serve the gun as well as her husband had done. All dur- 
ing the battle the brave woman continued to do service at the big gim 
with as much coolness and courage as a man. When Washington 
heard of it he conferred on her the rank of lieutenant, and Congress 
granted her half pay for life. She was afterwards known as Captain 
Molly. 




Molly Pitcher takes her husband's place 
at the battle of Monmouth 



The War in the South 215 

Questions. How did the battle of Monmouth happen, and with what 
result ? What can you say of the action of General Charles Lee? What 
place did the British reach? What did Washington do? What was 
now the British plan of war? What cities in Georgia were captured? 
How did Charleston fall into the British hands? 

What was now the condition of affairs in the South ? What can you 
say of Francis Marion? Describe the dinner he gave to a British ofhcer. 
From what did the people suffer? 

Tell the story of Nancy Hart. Tell the story of Molly Pitcher. 

Written Work. Write a description of Francis Marion's dinner. 



LESSON 56 
THE WAR IN THE SOUTH (Continued) 

Under this condition in the South, Cornwallis moved out 
of Charleston towards Camden, S.C. General Gates, who had 
been appointed to the command of the Ameri- 
can army in the South, was on his way to canjjjgn 
meet Cornwallis. The armies met at Camden 
August 16, 1780, and after a stubborn fight the Americans 
were badly defeated. 

General Gates, who was by no means an able officer, ran 
for three days and a half, leaving his army utterly beaten and 
demoralized. It was a crushing blow. Cornwallis was now 
free to march into North Carolina. 

So far the British had been in the South a year and a half, 
and had captured Savannah and Charleston, had overrun 
Georgia and South CaroHna, and had won the battle of 
Camden. The tide was now to turn, however, and they 
were to win no more victories of consequence. 

As CornwalUs advanced, the hardy mountaineers gathered 



2i6 American History 

before him from hill and valley, bringing muskets, rifles, and 
Battle of shotguns. When a part of the British force 

King's reached King's Mountain in upper South Caro- 

oun ain jj^^^^ ^^^ army was there to meet them. Armed 
with guns, knives, tomahawks, and clad in buckskin shirts, 
these untrained soldiers fell upon the British so merci- 
lessly that hundreds were slain and the rest taken prisoners, 
Oct. 7, 1780. This great victory changed the fortunes of 
war. 

General Nathanael Greene succeeded General Gates. A 
British force under Tarleton met an American force under 
General Morgan at the Cowpens in South Carolina, not 

Nathanael far from King's Mountain, and the British 
"^^^"^ suffered another terrible defeat. Greene now 

led Cornwallis on a long chase until the two armies reached 
Guilford (Cjirford) Court House in North Carolina, where a 
battle occurred, March 15, 1781. 

Here the Americans had to retreat, but the British suf- 
fered so badly that it was said, " another such victory would 
destroy the British army." 

Cornwallis now started north. What became of him we 

shall see later on. Greene, leaving Washington to look after 

Cornwallis, turned his army south, and by his 

reene ^j^-j^ ^^^ ^j^^ bravery of his troops soon drove 

turns south -' ^ 

the remaining British troops back from the ter- 
ritory of Georgia and South Carolina, shutting them up in 
Savannah and Charleston. 

The war was over in the South. It had lasted for three 
years, and many hard battles had been fought and a great 
deal of suffering endured. Greene was in command of the 
situation, and CornwaUis was on his way to meet his fate in 
Virginia. 



The Treason of Arnold 217 

BENEDICT ARNOLD 

While the war was going on in the South, one of the saddest 
events of American history occurred at West Point on the 
Hudson River in September, 1780. This was the Treason of 
treason of Benedict Arnold. Arnold had been a Benedict 
brave soldier, but was disappointed about promo- 
tion. He had fallen into bad habits, and had been repri- 
manded by Washington for his conduct. This had made him 
angry, and he determined to turn traitor to the American cause. 

He asked Washington to put him in charge of West Point, 
a strong fort on the Hudson River. This Washington readily 
granted. From that point Arnold secretly sent word to the 
British in New York that he was wiUing to surrender the 
fort for thirty thousand dollars and an officer's position in the 
British army. 

Major John Andre, a brave young officer, was sent from 
the British hnes to meet Arnold. They had a meeting at 
midnight on the banks of the river. Arnold gave up im- 
portant papers describing the fort, and agreed upon how it 
was to be surrendered. 

Andre started by land down the river. All went well 
until he reached Tarry town. Here three men stopped him 
and asked what he was doing. Thinking they were friends, 
Andre rephed, " I am a British officer on important business. 
I hope you will not detain me." 

Seeing they had made an important capture, they ordered 
Andre to dismount. Andre was alarmed at the mistake he 
had made, and showed the pass that Arnold had 
given him. It was too late, however. They y^n^re 
searched his clothes and found the plans of West 
Point and other papers in his boots. Andre offered the men 
his watch, horse, and indeed everything he had, if they would 



2l8 



American History 



let him go. The patriots sternly refused, and Andre was 

taken to the American lines. 
Arnold was at breakfast after his meeting with Andre and 

was handed a note. It told him a British ofificer had been 

arrested inside the 
lines. Hastily rising, 
he told his wife of 
his danger, mounted 
a horse, reached the 
river, and was safely 
carried to New York 
and to the British. 
Andre was tried 
by court-martial as 
a spy. His fate was 
a sad one, for he was 
a noble young officer, 
and much beloved by 
his friends. He was 
hanged in October, 
1780. 

Later Life of Benedict 
Arnold. After Arnold 
reached the British in 
New York he was given a 
commission as an English 
ofificer. He led a band of 
tories and Hessians in a 
warfare of destruction in Connecticut, his native State. At one time he 
was fearful of capture, and asked an American prisoner, " What will the 
Americans do with me if I fall into their hands? " The prisoner replied, 
" They would cut off the leg that was wounded in the service of your 
country; the rest of you they would hang." 




Andre on his way from West Point is captured 
by three Americans 




War Territory in the South 



The Surrender of Cornwallis 219 

After the war Arnold went to England to live, but was treated with the 
contempt he deserved. At one time he was asked to write a letter of 
introduction to some friends in America. To this he replied, " I was born 
and reared in America, but now I can call no man there my friend." 

It is said that when Arnold was ill and about to die, he asked to put on 
his old American uniform. His epaulets and sword were brought to him. 
He looked at them sadly, and said, " With these I fought my battles. 
May God forgive me for ever having worn any others ! " 

Questions. How did the battle of Camden happen, and with what 
result? What can you say of General Gates? What was CornwalHs 
now free to do ? How was the battle of King's Mountain fought, and with 
what result? \Vho succeeded Gates? Describe the battle of the 
Cowpens. The battle of Guilford Court House. What did Greene 
now do with his army? Into what two cities were the British driven? 

What sad event occurred at this time? What had caused Arnold to 
change his feelings towards Washington? What fort did he try to 
betray ? Describe his attempt and how it failed by the capture of Andre. 

Written Work. Write the story of Andre's capture. 



LESSON 57 
THE SURRENDER OF CORNWALLIS 

Let us now return to Cornwallis. After the battle at 
Guilford Court House, instead of following Greene south- 
ward, Cornwallis turned into Virginia. Lafayette was in 
front of him, and so embarrassed his movements that he 
could not ravage Virignia as he hoped. CornwalHs then 
moved over to Yorktown, on the coast. 

Washington, who all the time had been watching the 
British in New York, now saw a chance to end the war. 
Leaving a small force to protect the Hudson, he 

. , , , , .... Yorktown 

quietly marched down to Virginia, joined his 

forces with the French, and appeared before Yorktown, 

almost before the British knew he had left New York. At the 



2 20 American History 

same time a French fleet appeared in Chesapeake Bay, and 
Cornwallis was thus shut up in Vorktown, besieged by sea 
and by land. 

Day by day the works of the British fell under the cease- 
less fire of the American guns. Cornwallis had no hope 
of escape, and so in despair he hoisted the white flag. 
October 19, 1781, he formally surrendered his whole army. 

The scene of the surrender of Cornwallis was most im- 
pressive. The British army marched out of Yorktown with 
their flags furled, guns on shoulder, and were 

The surrender , ■ i •- .1 a • ^ 

of Cornwallis ^^awn up m order opposite the American troops. 
It was two o'clock in the afternoon. Washing- 
ton and Rochambeau (Ro sham bo'),wMth their staff officers, 
sat on their horses at the head of the troops. 

Cornwallis was not present. He was represented by 
General O'Hara, who approached Washington, saluted, and 
apologized for Cornwallis's absence, saying he was too ill to 
be present. Washington returned the salute, saying that 
General Lincoln would receive the surrender of the troops. 
Lincoln had been obliged to surrender his own sword to CHnton 
at Charleston the year before, and the commission to receive the 
surrender of the British at Yorktown was very pleasant to him. 

The order to " ground arms " was given. Sorrie of the 
British soldiers threw their guns down so hard as almost to 
break them. A sharp order corrected this. The prisoners 
then marched back to Yorktown to await further orders. 

A courier on a swift horse started to Philadelphia with 

the news. As he rode into the town late at night he told 

the watchmen of the city. They cried out the 

PhiiadeipWa g^eat ncws, " Past two o'clock, and Cornwallis 

is taken ! " Soon everybody was up, bells were 

rung, bonfires were lighted, and people were shouting, wild 



The Surrender of Cornwallis 221 




Cornwall is surrenders at Yorktown, Va., Oct. 19, 1781 



22 2 American History 

with joy. Early next morning, Congress met and marched 
to one of the churches and gave thanks to God for the deliver- 
ance of the nation. The old doorkeeper of Congress was so 
overcome with emotion that he dropped dead. 

The news in England was received in quite an opposite 
way. The British minister threw up his hands and ex- 
claimed, '' My God ! it is all over ! " The people demanded 
that the war should cease. They were tired of it, and were 
glad to let America have her freedom at any cost. 

While the surrender at Yorktown practically ended the 
war, peace was not secured until a treaty was signed between 
the colonies and Great Britain, which took place 
Parfs^ ° in Paris, September 3, 1783, This was known 

as the Treaty of Paris. The British agreed 
to leave America, the captured cities were restored, and 
peace once more reigned. By the terms of the treaty the 
United Colonies of America became a free and independent 
nation. 

Washington now resigned his commission as Commander- 
in-Chief of the army, bade farewell to his officers and men, 
made a visit of a few days to his aged mother, and retired 
to his home at Mount Vernon on the Potomac River. 

Let us see some of the results of the Revolutionary War. 

In the first place, the people of the United Colonies of 

America became free and independent. They were no longer 

subject to the king of England. They were free 

The colonies . i ii • i ^ i J.^ • i 

„„„, f^^^ to make their own laws, to choose their own rulers, 

now tree ' ' 

and to manage their affairs as they pleased. 
Henceforth England had nothing whatever to do with them 
and could not interfere in their affairs. 

In the second place, the different colonies learned to depend 
upon one another. They had stood together in their demands 



The Surrender of Cornwallis 



223 



upon the mother country, and their soldiers had fought side 

by side. The cause of one had been the cause 

of all. It had become very evident that they dependent 

were like a bundle of sticks, very strong when 

tied together, very weak when taken separately. 




Washington visits his aged mother 

In the third place, the spirit of liberty had grown very 
dear to the American heart. The colonies had been planted 
with that idea, they had grown with that pur- 
pose, and they had fought the great war with u^ertv^ 
that hope. The nation had been baptized with 
the blood of its heroes. Soldiers and citizens had starved 
and suffered that the colonies might be free. 

Governor Nelson's House. At the siege of Yorktown, Lafayette 
turned to Thomas Nelson, the Governor of Virginia, and said, " To what 
particular spot would your Excellency suggest that I direct the fire of 



2 24 American History 

this cannon? " Nelson pointed to a fine house, and said, " Fire at that 
house. It is mine, and it is the best one in the place. I am willing for it 
to be shot to pieces, for I am sure that Cornwallis and his officers have 
made it their headquarters." 

The Escape of General Putnam. The British general Tryon was 
ravaging the territory of Connecticut in 1779. Near Stamford they came 
upon General Putnam, who had only a small party of men. " Old Put " 
stood his ground for a long time, but the enemy were too strong for him. 
He ordered his men to retreat to a swamp near by. 

Being close pressed by the British, he found himself on the edge of a 
steep incline, in which about one hundred steps had been cut for the 
people to climb in going to church. *' Now we have you! Halt ! " cried 
the British officer. " You will have to catch me! " cried Putnam, and 
spurred his horse down the slippery incline. The British went to the edge 
of the precipice, fired a few shots at the escaping general, but did not pur- 
sue him. 

Questions. Where did Cornwallis go after the battle of Guilford 
Court House? Who was in front of him to embarrass his movements? 
Where did Cornwallis finally go? What did Washington do? How 
was Cornwallis now besieged? When and where did Cornwallis sur- 
render? Describe the scene of the surrender. How was the news re- 
ceived in Philadelphia? How was it received in England? 

When and where was a treaty of peace signed ? What became of Wash- 
ington? What was the first result of the Revolution? What was the 
second result ? What was the third result ? 

Tell the story of Governor Nelson's house. Tell the story of Putnam's 
escape. 

Written Work. If you had been living in Philadelphia at the time 
the news of the surrender arrived, what account would you give of the 
occasion ? 



Benjamin Franklin 225 

LESSON 58 
BENJAMIN FRANKLIN 

One of the most notable men of the time of the Revo- 
lution was Benjamin Franklin. He was born in Boston, 
January 17, 1706. He was the son of a candlemaker, and 
was one of seventeen children. His father was too poor 
to send him to school very long, but the young Frankhn 
studied while he worked at his father's trade. When a young 
man he went to Philadelphia and became a printer. For 
many years he published " Poor Richard's Almanac," full 
of quaint sayings and homely wisdom. 

The following are some of the maxims of Franklin taken 
from " Poor Richard's Almanac." 

" A word to the wise is sutiicient." " God helps those who help 
themselves." " Keep thy shop, and thy shop will keep thee." " Con- 
stant dropping wears away the stone." " A small leak will sink a great 
ship." " Creditors have better memories than debtors." " Better go to 
bed supperless than in debt." " A sleeping fox catches no poultry." 

Franklin had very practical ideas. He persuaded the 
people to put their books together in one common stock for 
a pubHc library.^ He formed a debating society 
of his friends to discuss scientific subjects. He ^^^^^ 
became interested in electricity. By means of 
a kite held by a silk cord he proved that the clouds were full 
of electricity when there is a storm. He invented the hght- 
ning rod to protect houses against being struck by lightning. 

Franklin suggested that a great deal of heat was wasted 
by chimneys, and devised the open stove, which is still called 

' The people of Franklin, Mass., built a church with a steeple, and applied 
to Franklin to present them a bell. He replied that sense is to be preferred to 
sound, and sent them a gift of books to found a town library. 



226 



American History 



the Franklin stove. He persuaded the people of Phila- 
delphia to pave the streets and light them by lamps, to have 
night watchmen, and to form fire companies. 




Benjamin Franklin 



When Franklin was forty-five years of age he was made 
deputy postmaster-general for the colonies. He astonished 
the people by proposing to have a regular mail once a week 
between Philadelphia and Boston. This was thought to be a 



Benjamin Franklin 227 

wonderful achievement. At that time there were about seventy 
post offices in the whole country. Letters that left New York 
on Monday reached Boston on the following Saturday. 

At the beginning of the French and Indian War, Franklin 
had proposed, at the convention of delegates of the colonies 
at Albany, to form a union of the colonies for their mutual 
protection. He presented the plan, and it was approved 
by the convention. It was not approved, however, by the 
British government, and was not allowed to go into operation, 

Frankhn was sent to England as the agent of the Penn- 
sylvania colony. While he was there the Stamp Act was 
passed by the British ParHament. Franklin was 
strongly opposed to the measure. He told the ^^iJ^^^ 
English people that the colonies would never sub- 
mit to it, that they loved liberty very dearly, and would fight 
rather than surrender their rights as colonists. It was largely 
through his influence that the Stamp Act was repealed.^ 

During the Revolution he was sent to France to gain the 
friendship of that nation for the colonies. He was very 
popular with the French people. He became a 
friend of the king and a favorite at the court. pari^°"^ 
He was received in his plain brown suit, while 
everybody else wore the fashionable court dress of the time. 

1 Franklin had many friends in England, among them a Mr. Strahan 
(StrSn), who was a member of the British Parliament. After the battle of 
Bunker Hill and the burning of Charlestown by order of General Gage, 
Franklin indignantly wrote to his former friend : — 

"Dear Mr. Strahan, — You are a member of Parliament, and one of that 
majority which has doomed my country to destruction, — You have begun to 
burn our towns and murder our people, — Look upon your hands ! — They are 
stained with the blood of your relations ! — You and I were long friends : — You 
are now my enemy, — and I am 

" Yours, 

" B. Franklin." 



228 



American History 



His wisdom, good humor, and tact gained for the colonies 
the friendship of France. To him in great measure were 
due the alliance that the French made during the war, 
and the aid they sent us to carry on the struggle. He was 
described as the man 
who could " snatch the 
lightning from the sky 
and the scepter from ty- 
rants." 



'isMi^i'^ I 




Franklin attracts distinguished attention at the court of France 

When the war was over, Franklin was one of the represen- 
tatives of the American government at Paris in making the 
treaty of peace with England. After the treaty 
had been signed, a dinner was given in honor of 
the event. The English ambassador offered 
the following toast : " England — the glorious sun at mid- 



Franklin's 

toast 



Benjamin Franklin 229 

day, that illumines the world." The French minister arose 
and offered his toast : " France — the full moon rising in its 
splendor to drive away the shades of night." All eyes 
turned on Franklin as he arose and asked the company to 
join him in the toast : '' The United States — the Joshua who 
commanded the sun and the moon to stand still, and they 
obeyed him." 

Franklin lived until 1790, beloved and respected by all 
men. It may be said that Washington in America and 
Franklin in Europe were the two greatest men of the 
Revolution. 

Collateral Reading. Franklin's " Autobiography." 

Franklin and his Future Wife. When Franklin arrived in Philadel- 
phia looking for work as a printer, he had but a few coins in his pocket. 
With these he bought a loaf of bread and began munching on it as he was 
walking along the street. A pretty girl with laughing eyes saw him from 
one of the windows as he was passing by. She laughed outright at the 
uncouth boy, very much to his chagrin. She afterwards became his 
wife. 

Questions. Where and when was Franklin born? What can you 
say of his early life? What Almanac did he publish? Mention some 
of his maxims. What practical ideas did Franklin have? In what did 
he become interested? What did he invent ? What kind of a stove did 
he devise? What did he persuade the people of Philadelphia to do? 

What did he propose when he was deputy postmaster-general ? What 
did he propose during the French and Indian War ? What did he tell the 
people of England about the Stamp Act? How was he received in 
France ? Tell the story of his toast at the dinner. 

Written Work. Make a list of the maxims of " Poor Richard " men- 
tioned in the lesson. 



230 



American History 



won 

fame 

war. 



LESSON 59 
JOHN PAUL JONES 

England at this time was considered the mistress of the 
seas. The American colonies had almost no navy, and yet 

their few vessels 

immortal 
during the 
A few ships, 
fitted out at pri- 
vate expense, 
called privateers, 
and commissioned 
to prey upon the 
enemy, spread ter- 
ror among the 
British merchant 
ships. 

In 1775 Con- 
gress decided to 
organize a navy of 
six vessels for pro- 
tecting the coasts. 
Among the com- 
manders commis- 




John Paul Jones, who first raised the American 
flag at sea 



sioned at that time was John Paul Jones, a Scotchman, 
scarcely twenty years of age, but one of the most skillful 
and daring seamen that ever handled a ship. It was he who 
first raised the American flag at sea.^ 

1 The flag that Jones raised at sea was shot down in the engagement with 
the Scrapis, and fell overboard. A brave officer, named Stafford, leaped into 
the boiling sea and swam with the flag to his ship. The flag afterwards came 
into his possession. It is now in the National Museum at Washington, D.C. 



John Paul Jones 



231 



His vessel was named the Bon Homme Richard (Bon 6m 
Ri shar'), by which the French meant " Poor Richard," in 
honor of Benjamin Frankhn. During the time he was com- 
mander he fought twenty-three battles at sea, captured four 
large vessels, and made his name a terror to British seamen 
everywhere. 

September 23, 1779, Jones was cruising off the English 
coast, and fell in with a fleet of merchant ships convoyed by the 
Serapis (Se ra' pis) 
and another war ves- 
sel. He gave chase 
to the British ship and 
soon came up with the 
Serapis. It was the 
first time an English 
and an American war 
vessel had met up- 
on the high seas, and 
both commanders 
were eager for the 
battle. 

In those days ves- 
sels were made of 

wood, and 

fighting 

was at 
close range. The two 
ships came together 
just as the sun was 
setting. The British 
commander cried out, '' What ship is that? " Jones replied 
by hurling an eighteen-pound shot that went tearing into 



Engages the 
Serapis 




The Bon Homme Richard captures the Serapis 



232 American History 

the Serapis, destroying a gun carriage. The British ship 
poured a broadside into the Bon Homme Richard, that 
splintered the mast, killed several men, and exploded a part 
of the magazine. 

A most terrible naval engagement now ensued between 
the two vessels. The full moon was shining, and it was 
almost as bright as day. The sea was calm. Great crowds 
of people on the Flamborough Hills in England were watch- 
ing the deadly combat. The vessels sailed around each 
other, delivering their fire with terrible effect. Cannon balls 
tore through the rigging, the ships were pierced, the decks 
ran red with the blood of stricken men. 

After a while the British commander called out, " Are 
you ready to surrender?" "Surrender," answered Jones, 
" we have not begun to fight yet ! " 

The two ships grappled. Explosives were thrown on the 
decks of the Serapis, several cannon burst, and both ships 
soon were on fire. Jones's ship was in a sink- 
surrender^s^ ^^S condition, but he gathered his men in a 
final attack that bore away the enemy's mast. 
The commander of the Serapis lowered his flag and agreed 
to surrender. 

John Paul Jones took possession of the Serapis, extin- 
guished the flames, and from the decks of the captured ship 
saw his own vessel sink to the bottom of the sea. It was 
the greatest naval victory of the war. It lowered the pride 
and humbled the boast of the British navy for many years. 

Paul Jones and Captain Pearson. When Captain Pearson sur- 
rendered his sword to Paul Jones he did so in a very surly manner, say- 
ing, " I hate to give up my sword to a man who has fought with a halter 
around his neck." Jones did not lose his temper, but replied politely, 
" Sir, you have fought like a brave man ; and I do not doubt that your 
sovereign will reward you in an ample manner." 



The Northwest Territory 233 

Soon afterwards King George made a knight of Captain Pearson for 
his bravery. When Paul Jones heard of it, he remarked, " Well, he 
deserved it ; and if I fall in with him again, I will make a lord of him." 

Questions. What was England considered at the time? What did 
the few American vessels do during the war ? What navy was proposed in 
1775? Who was among the commanders commissioned at that time? 
What was his ship named? What record did his vessel make? When 
and how did he encounter the Sera pis? 

How did the engagement begin? Describe the battle that ensued. 
What reply did Jones make to the British commander? How was the 
Sera pis captured? Tell the story of Jones and Captain Pearson. 

Written Work. Describe the capture of the Serapis as seen by a sup- 
posed eyewitness. 



LESSON 60 

HOW THE NORTHWEST TERRITORY WAS SAVED FOR 
THE UNION 

DANIEL BOONE 

While the war was going on along the Atlantic seaboard, 
two brave men were doing great things beyond the Alle- 
ghany Mountains, in the territory that had been gained by 
the French and Indian War. All this vast region was a wil- 
derness, in which were few white people and many Indians. 

In 1775 Daniel Boone of North Carolina moved into the 
regions of Kentucky and founded the town of Boones- 
borough. He and his family, with other set- Daniel Boone 
tiers, about fifty in all, moved across the moun- moves into 
tains with their beds, clothing, and pwDvisions ^" ''^ ^ 
strapped on the backs of horses, and driving cattle before 
them. 

Settlers came in from Virginia, and other small settlements 
were made. The Revolution came on, and the Indians, urged 



2 34 American History 

by the British, swooped down upon the httle forts, burned 
the houses, and often captured the settlers, murdered them, 
or took them off to their villages. 

Boone was a born pioneer. The roar of the beast, the cry 
of the wild bird, and the yell of the savage were music to his 
ears. He loved the wilderness, and whenever society grew 
up around his cabin he moved farther away, that he might be 
alone in the unbroken forests. 

Boone himself was taken prisoner one day while he was 
boiling water for salt, and was carried off by the Indians. 
He heard of their plot to destroy Boonesborough 
hisTowiT^^^ and kill all the people. He managed to escape, 
and reached the town in five days, traveling more 
than a hundred and sixty miles. During this time he ate 
but one meal, which was a turkey he had killed. He reached 
there just in time to have Boonesborough fortified and save 
the place from the Indians. 

GEORGE ROGERS CLARK 

All the region north of the Ohio and around the Great 
Lakes was known as the Northwest Territory. The Enghsh 
had come into possession of it after the French and Indian 
War, and had built forts at Kaskaskia, Vincennes (Vin'sen'), 
and Detroit. They were so far away from the rest of the 
country that during the war they were almost forgotten. 

There was one man, however, who saw that this territory 
must be wrested from the Enghsh, in order to hold it for 
the United States when the time came to make a treaty of 
peace. He was a bold young frontiersman of Kentucky 
named George Rogers Clark. Clark rode his horse all the 
way to Virginia and appeared before Patrick Henry, who 
was then governor. " I desire to raise a company of soldiers 



The Northwest Territory 235 

to defend Kentucky and to drive the English out of the 
Northwest Territory," said he. 

The governor was pleased with the idea, and gave 
orders to enlist seven companies of men who were to 
" defend Kentucky." Nothing was said about the North- 
west Territory, for that part of the plan had to be kept 
secret. 

About one hundred and fifty men, hardy sons of the 
frontier, with fur caps, fringed hunting shirts, buckskin 
leggings and moccasins, and armed with long 
rifles, tomahawks, and knives, enlisted for the Knives "°^ 
enterprise. They soon became known as " Long 
Knives " on account of their deadly aim with a gun, and their 
fearless natures. 

The party dropped down the Ohio River in boats until 
they reached the site of the present city of Louisville. Here 
Clark landed, drilled his soldiers into some kind journey 
of military order, and told them of his plan to through the 
conquer the territory. After resting several days ^ 
they proceeded down the river, and landed at a place about 
one hundred and thirty miles from Kaskaskia. He decided 
to go on foot through the wilderness in order that the spies 
on the river might not give word of his approach. The 
soldiers waded through the swamps, and toiled through the 
long grass of the prairies, on their way northward. 

Clark appeared before Kaskaskia July 4th, 1778, and 
found most of the people of the village at a dance. The 
governor was in bed. Nobody had the least 
idea that an enemy had reached the fort. Clark kaskaskia 
and his men marched to the hall where the 
dancing was going on. He stood at the open door, leaning 
against the post. Some one saw him, and raised the cry of 



236 American History 

" The Long Knives ! " Instantly there was great alarm, but 
Clark quietly said to the people, " You may go on with your 
fun, but remember you are dancing under the flag of Vir- 
ginia, and not under that of Great Britain." 

The next day the fort surrendered, and the priests came 
to Clark and begged him not to march the people off into 
the wilderness without food and clothing. " Do you take 
us for savages?" asked Clark. "We are Americans, and 
you can tell your people to go on with their business as 
usual, for nobody will be disturbed." 

THE CAPTURE OF VINCENNES 

In February, 1779, Clark decided to march against 
Vincennes, a hundred and fifty miles away, and 
capture that fort from the English. It was in 
Vincennes ^^^ dead of winter, the river was frozen, snow 
covered the fields, and the forests were bare of 
game. The British commander had no idea that an enemy 
could reach him in such weather. Clark set out, followed 
by his brave men. 

All day long they trudged through the cold and snow, and at 
night built great fires to warm themselves and dry their clothes. 
The Wabash River was swollen, and the shivering men had 
to march through freezing water to cross the drowned lands. 

At one time the men were so discouraged that they held 
back. Clark selected a tall soldier, six feet four inches 
high, mounted a drummer boy on his shoulders, and started 
him through the icy flood. The drummer boy beat his drum, 
and Clark commanded, " Forward — March ! " Amused and 
delighted the brave men waded in and crossed over. In a 
few days they came in sight of the fort of Vincennes, where 



The Northwest Territory 237 

they were joined by another party having several small 
cannon. 

Clark sent word to the fort to surrender. The governor, 
whose name was Hamilton, was called " the hair buyer," be- 
cause he paid for scalps of the white people of Kentucky 
that the Indians brought to him. Hamilton refused to 
surrender, and Clark began to bombard the fort. Hamilton 
asked for a conference with Clark. While the 

J- . i r T J- Capture of 

conference was gomg on, a party 01 Indians vincennes 
came along with a lot of scalps they had 
taken over in Kentucky, expecting the usual reward. 
When Clark's men saw them they fell upon them, toma- 
hawked the whole party, and threw their bodies into the 
river. 

Hamilton surrendered Vincennes soon afterwards. He 
and his men were sent to Virginia as prisoners of war. Thus 
it was that Illinois, Indiana, and all the Northwest Terri- 
tory came into the hands of the Americans through the 
bravery of Colonel Clark. 

This was very important to our country. When the treaty 
of peace was signed, it was agreed that England and the 
United States should each keep what territory it held 
at the close of the war. Canada remained in possession 
of England, but the Northwest Territory, out of which the 
live great States of Ohio, Indiana, Michigan, and Wiscon- 
sin have since been made, remained in possession of the 
United States. 

Collateral Reading. "Twice Told Tales," by Hawthorne; "The 
Partisan," by Simms ; "Boys of '76," by Coffin; "The Pilot," by 
Cooper; " The Spy," by Cooper. 

Questions. When did Daniel Boone move into the regions of Ken- 
tucky? How did the settlers move? What town did they found? 



238 American History 

How did the settlements fare during the war ? What happened to Boone, 
and how did he save the town? 

What territory was known as the Northwest Territory? What settle- 
ments had been made in it ? What man saw the necessity of wresting this 
region from the English? Describe his interview with Patrick Henry. 
What party was organized, and how did they proceed toward Kaskaskia ? 
Describe the way the town was captured. 

Describe the march toward Vincennes. Describe the way Clark once 
persuaded his men to march through the water. What happened during 
the interview with Hamilton? What did Hamilton do ? What became 
of the Northwest Territory? Why was this important to our country? 

Written Work. Suppose you had been one of Clark's men, and write 
a short account of your adventures. 



Topical Analysis 239 



TOPICAL ANALYSIS 

Progress of the Colonies. The Cavahers in Virginia; Sir William 
Berkeley ; Bacon's Rebellion ; Indian neighbors ; John Eliot ; block- 
houses; war with the Pequots; war with King Philip; Sir Edmund 
Andros ; charter oak. 

The Establishment of the French. Explorations of Marquette and 
Joliet ; the voyage of La Salle ; founding of New Orleans ; Louisiana ; the 
purposes of the French in America. 

The Conflict with the French. Conflicting claims of English and 
French; Count Frontenac ; King William's War ; Queen Anne's War ; 
King George's War. 

The French and Indian War. The young George Washington ; mes- 
sage to the French commander ; Franklin's proposed union ; Braddock's 
defeat ; the fall of Quebec. 

Life in the Colonies. Pioneer homes ; Virginia mansions; industries 
in New England ; industries in New York ; industries in the South ; cloth- 
ing ; sports ; pillory and stocks ; travel ; witchcraft ;. pirates ; meeting- 
houses ; services ; Sunday observance ; Harvard College ; William and 
Mary College ; indentured servants ; slaves ; slave trade ; insurrections. 

Beginning of the Revolution. Navigation Acts ; laws regulating manu- 
factures ; oppressive taxes ; writs of assistance ; James Otis ; the Stamp 
Act ; Patrick Henry ; the Boston Massacre ; Boston Tea Party. 

The War in the North. The battle of Lexington; Paul Revere's 
Ride ; battle of Bunker Hill ; capture of Ticonderoga ; Washington in 
command ; the British leave Boston ; the British attack Charleston ; Ser- 
geant Jasper; Declaration of Independence ; theBritishenter New York ; 
Nathan Hale ; the retreat across New Jersey ; battle of Trenton ; battle 
of Princeton ; Lafayette ; the surrender of Burgoyne ; capture of Phila- 
delphia ; Valley Forge ; battle of Monmouth ; treason of Benedict Arnold. 

The War in the South. Capture of Savannah ; capture of Charleston ; 
irregular warfare ; Marion ; Sumter ; battle of Camden ; battle of King's 
Mountain ; Nathanael Greene ; Yorktown ; surrender of Cornwallis. 

Some Heroes of the Revolution. Benjamin Franklin, his practical 
ideas, his service in England, his life in Paris. John Paid Jones, his com- 
mand, his fleet, his engagement with the Serapis. Daniel Boone, his 
pioneer habits, his explorations. George Rogers Clark, his capture of 
Kaskaskia, his capture of Vincennes. 



240 American History 




GEORGE WASHINGTON 
"First in war, first in peace, and first in the hearts of his countrymen 



PERIOD OF DEVELOPMENT 



LESSON 61 
THE CRITICAL TIME 

At the close of the Revolution there were about four mil- 
lion people in the United States. There were no large cities 
such as we now have. Philadelphia was the largest, having 
forty-two thousand people ; New York came next with thirty- 
three thousand ; then Boston with eighteen thousand ; and 
Baltimore with thirteen thousand. 

Even these places had the appearance of large country 
towns, being badly paved, with ill-lighted streets and poorly 
kept sidewalks. The houses were mainly of wood, very 
comfortable indeed, but far from being the splendid dwellings 
we now see in our cities. 

The long war had brought great distress to the people, as 
war always does, even when the cause is a righteous one. 
It had cost a large sum of money, and the States Distress 
as well as the people were heavily in debt. There follows the 
was almost no gold or silver money. There was "^^^ 
plenty of paper currency, but it was worthless, because the 
government could not redeem it in coin. In fact, of so little 
value was the paper or " continental money " that two hundred 
dollars of it was not worth one gold dollar. Indeed, the 
people refused to take it, preferring to barter, or exchange, 
their goods with one another.^ 

1 A pound of sugar sold for $io in continental money. A barrel of flour cost 
$1500. When the people wished to express their contempt of anything, they 
said, "It is not worth a continental." 

241 



242 American History 

Besides this, so many men had been killed in battle, so 
many houses burned and farms destroyed, so much time lost 
from the industries of the country, that the close of the war 
found the American people poor indeed, even if they were 
free. 

During the Revolution the various colonies had been held to- 
gether by a common danger. So long as there was an enemy 
to fight, all the people from all the colonies had 

commo stood bravely together for the common good. 
Instead of being an army for each colony, there 
was one army for all. In the same way all the war measures, 
such as the foreign loans of money and the treaties of peace 
and friendship, had been in the names of all the colonies united, 
and not for each one separately. 

For the purpose of a common union during the war, a 
Continental Congress had been held. It was composed of 
delegates from each colony, who met to agree in the name of 
each colony upon measures that were for the good of all. 
Articles of Confederation were adopted in 1777 for the 
government of the country and the conduct of the war. 

As a matter of fact, the Continental Congress under the 

Articles of Confederation had but httle power. It could 

pass laws, but could not make the people obey 

Limited ^ ' r- i- j 

powers of the them. It needed money to carry on the war, 
Continental ^^^^ could not forcc the colonies to furnish it. It 
needed soldiers for the army, but had no power 
to levy troops. The Continental Congress could hardly do 
more than advise the colonies about certain matters, and it 
was for the colonies themselves to decide whether they would 
follow the advice or not. 

After the war was over, the colonies, which had become inde- 
pendent States, became jealous of one another, and disputes 



The Critical Time 



243 



arose about boundary lines, trade, and the right of each state 
legislature to do as it pleased. It was even suggested that a 
man should not buy and sell outside his own State without 
paying duty. If a farmer took his produce, or a merchant 
took his goods, from one State to another, he might be called on 
to pay a tax for the right to sell in that State. 




Daniel Shays raises an insurrection 

The people were so terribly burdened with debt that they 
could not pay what they owed. In Massachusetts, in 1786, 
so many poor people had been sued for debt and 
thrown into prison that a rebellion of the farmers ^^^^^l^i 
occurred. Daniel Shays raised an army of two 
thousand farmers, marched to the courthouses in Spring- 
field and in Worcester, and demanded that all the courts 
adjourn and that all lawsuits for debt be stopped. It took 



244 American History 

a military force to put down this rebellion, but it showed the 
temper of the people. 

The country was fast drifting to discord. The thirteen 
States were so many separate governments, quarreling with 
one another and likely to go to war at any time. The wise 
men of the nation saw very plainly that something had to be 
done to bring order out of this confusion. 

The one thing that held the people together was the great 
country known as the Northwest Territory. This territory 
r^i „ , was at first claimed by several States, but at 

The North- "^ ' 

west Territory length by agreement became the joint property 
a common of ^U the States. If land in this territory could 
be sold to settlers to pay the public debt and to 
reward the soldiers of each State for their services and losses 
in the war, all would yet be well.^ 

The following facts, then, made a better union of the 
colonies necessary : 

1. The universal distress of the people after the war. 

2. The need of a common defense for them all. 

3. The need of a money that was good everywhere. 

4. The danger and expense of separate governments. 

5. The public debt, for which all were responsible. 

6. The Northwest Territory, which they held in common. 

7. The lack of power of the old Congress. 

It became plain that we could not become a great nation 

1 In July, 1787, an ordinance was passed by Congress to organize and 
govern the Northwest Territory. This famous "Ordinance of 1787" provided 
for the future division of the territory into States ; for personal and religious 
liberty and means of education for the settlers; guaranteed civil rights and 
proper treatment of the Indians. The most important provision of the ordi- 
nance was that which excluded slavery forever from the territory. This 
ordinance has been pronounced second only in importance as a great State 
paper to the Declaration of Independence itself. 



The Constitution 245 

unless we had a better union, under a written agreement or 
Constitution. How this came about, and what the Consti- 
tution was, we shall see in the next lesson. 

Questions. How many people were there in the United States at the 
close of the Revolution ? What was the size of some of the cities ? What 
appearance did they present? What did the war cost? Describe 
the money. Of how little value was the continental money ? What was 
the condition of the people? 

How had the States held together during the war ? Of what was the 
Continental Congress composed ? What of the Articles of Confederation ? 
What little power did the Continental Congress have as to laws ? As to 
money ? As to soldiers ? How did the States act after the war ? What 
was the occasion of Shays's rebellion? What one thing held the people 
together ? 

Written Work. Make a written statement of the facts that called 
for a better union. 



LESSON 62 
THE CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES 

The most important event in the history of our country is 
the making and adoption of the Constitution. The Consti- 
tution is the written agreement entered into voluntarily by 
all the States, by which they bind themselves together under 
one government and make of themselves one nation. 

This noble instrument is worthy of our study. It was 
made by the greatest men of the nation, and we have hved 
under its provisions ever since. It has been called " the 
most wonderful work ever struck off at a given time by the 
brain and purpose of man." ^ 

' These are the words of William I',. Gladstone, the great English stales- 
man. 



246 American History 

In 1787 a convention of fifty-live men, sent as delegates 

from the States, met in Philadelphia for the purpose of 

making the Constitution. They met in the 

r^ * *^5 *• * same room in which the Declaration of Inde- 
Constitution 

pendence had been signed. George Washing- 
ton was chosen president of the convention. 

The session lasted from May to September. The interests 
of all the States were carefully considered, and many compro- 
mises were made. The Constitution was finally agreed upon 
and submitted to the States for their acceptance or rejection.^ 

When the Constitution was published it brought on a 
great deal of discussion. There were many able men 
Adoption of Opposed to some of its provisions, and for many 
the Con- months there was great excitement everywhere, 

stitution j^ ^^g agreed that when nine States had adopted 

the Constitution it should go into efTect. When it became 
known that nine States had adopted it, there was great 
rejoicing.^ It was not long before all the thirteen States 
had adopted it and the great nation was united. 

Let us study some of the provisions of the Constitution. 
The government is divided into three departments, viz. : the 
legislative department, which makes the laws ; the executive 
department, which carries out the laws ; and the judicial 
department, which construes the meaning of the laws. 

1 Benjamin Franklin was a member of the convention. While the mem- 
bers were signing their names to the Constitution he pointed to a painting of 
the sun on the back of the president's chair and said, "I have often, during the 
course of the session, looked at that sun behind the president, without being 
able to tell whether it was rising or setting ; but now at length I have the happi- 
ness to know it is a rising and not a setting sun." 

2 The states adopted the Constitution in the following order, viz. : Delaware, 
Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Georgia, Connecticut , Massachusetts, Maryland, 
South Carolina, New Hampshire, Virginia, New York, North Carolina, Rhode 
Island. 



The Constitution 247 

The legislative department is divided into a Senate and a 
House of Representatives. There are two senators from 
each State, but the representatives vary in num- j^^ iggjg, 
ber according to the population of the States, lative de- 

11 ,1 , partment 

as shown by a census taken every ten years. 
The representatives are chosen by the people of each State. 
The senators are also elected by popular vote. They 
meet every year, on the first Monday in December, at the 
capital, Washington, D.C., for the purpose of making laws 
for the government of the nation. When they meet we say 
that Congress is in session. 

Before any measure can become a law it requires the con- 
sent of both the Senate and the House of Representatives 
and the approval of the President of the United States. In 
case the President refuses his consent, which is called a veto, 
it takes the consent of two thirds of both houses to make 
the measure a law. 

Congress has certain powers given to it by the Constitu- 
tion. Some of these are to levy and collect taxes, borrow 
money, coin money, establish post offices, declare 

1 , . 1 • 1 r Powers of 

war, raise and support armies, and provide tor a cougj-egg 
navy. There are also powers that are denied to 
Congress, such as levying a tax on exports, granting titles of 
nobihty, and such powers as the States reserve for them- 
selves. There are also powers that are denied the States, 
such as making treaties, collecting customs, coining money, 
engaging in war, etc. All these powers, and the way our 
laws are made, one can read for himself in the Constitution. 

The executive authority of the government is vested in a 
President of the United States of America. His term of 
office continues for four years. He must be a natural-born 
citizen of the United States, and at least thirty-five years of 



248 



American History 



The President 



age. In case he dies, or is removed from office, or becomes 
unable to perform his duties, the Vice President takes his 
place until the next election. It is the duty of 
the President to see that all the laws of Con- 
gress are duly and faithfully carried out. 

The President is the Commander-in-Chief of the army 
and navy of the United States ; he has the power, with 
the consent of the Senate, to make treaties, to appoint 
ambassadors and ministers to foreign courts, to appoint 




The White House, the home of the President of the United States, as it 
appears at the present day 



judges of the national courts, and many other oflEicers of the 
United States. 

The President lives at the capital, in a splendid mansion 
provided by the government, which for many years has been 
known as the White House. Some of the greatest men in 



The Constitution 249 

the country have held the office. The President should 
always be regarded with the highest respect and veneration, 
since he represents the majesty of our government and the 
dignity of our institutions. Nor should we forget that, in a 
government Hke ours, where all men are equal in the sight 
of the law, the highest office is in the reach of every citizen, 
no matter how humbly born, provided he is able and worthy. 

The last department is the judicial department, or the 
courts, which have the power of construing the meaning of 
the laws and applying them to special cases. 

The highest court is the Supreme Court, of which the 
judges are appointed for life by the President. Before them 
come cases which have been tried in the lower 

, , . , P . . , The courts 

courts, and which for various reasons are carried 
up to them for review. There are also lower courts estab- 
lished from time to time by Congress, to decide cases in which 
the national law has been violated. 

As the years have gone by the Constitution has been 
changed or added to by amendments. In the main, how- 
ever, the great document still stands as our fathers made it. 

Questions. What is the Constitution? What has been said of it? 
Where and when did the convention meet? Who was president of the 
convention? The consent of how many States was required to make 
the Constitution operative? 

Into what departments is the government divided? How is the 
legislative department divided ? What can you say of senators and rep- 
resentatives ? What is Congress ? How does a measure become a law ? 

Name some of the powers of Congress. What can you say of the 
President? What powers does he have? Where does he live? What 
power have the courts? What of the Supreme Court? What are 
amendments ? 

Written Work. Write the names and duties of the three departments 
of our government. 



250 American History 

LESSON 63 
GEORGE WASHINGTON, PRESIDENT 

The discussion over the Constitution divided the people 
into two great parties. One party believed in giving much 
power to Congress to make a strong central government. 
In order to do this, that party insisted that the Constitution 
should be construed very liberally. This party was called 
the Federalist party. Its great leader was Alexander Hamil- 
ton of New York. 

The other party believed that Congress should be confined 
very closely to the powers mentioned in the Constitution, 
Federalist ^^^ ^^^^ ^^^ rights of the States and the strength 
and Anti-Fed- of the State governments should be carefully 
erahst parties p^ggervcd. In Order to do this the Constitution 
should be construed very strictly. This party was at first 
known as the Anti-Federalist party, and afterwards as the 
Republican party. Its great leader was Thomas Jefferson 
of Virginia. 

One party considered the government strong in itself; 
the other party considered it strong only in the powers given 
to it by the States. Both parties believed in a government 
able to take care of itself at home and abroad, with ample 
powers to make itself respected and feared. The difference 
between them was in construing the meaning of the Consti- 
tution. Both parties were glad to honor the great George 
Washington by making him the first President of the United 
States. 

New York was then the capital of the country. There, 
on April 30th, 1789, Washington took the oath of office, 
standing on a balcony in front of Federal Hall, where Con- 



George Washington, President 251 




Washington takes the oath of office in New Yorl< City, April 30, 1789 

gress met, while a great crowd of happy people shouted, 
bells rang, and cannon boomed.^ Thus the government of 
the United States began. 
The first question to confront the new government was 

1 Washington was now fifty-seven years old, but still in the prime of his 
life. He was tall, muscular, and hardened by his years of life as a soldier. He 
was a large man in every way. He wore a number thirteen boot, had big 
hands, and .weighed two hundred pounds. When he stood erect he loomed 
well above his fellows. He was an excellent shot, a skillful swordsman, and a 
fine rider. In his younger days he could cover twenty-two feet in a running 
jump. 

Washington had become a rich man. He owned thousands of acres in 
Virginia, and large tracts of land along the Ohio. At one time his estate was 
valued at a half-million dollars, consisting of lands, houses, slaves, crops, etc. 
However, he was often pressed for ready cash, and, it is said, had to borrow 
money to get to New York when he was inaugurated. 



252 American History 

the money question. The country was heavily in debt from 
the war. There was an immense foreign debt, caused by 
loans that had been made with European countries ; there 
was a large debt owed by the country to its own citizens ; 
and there were heavy debts owed by the separate States. 
Thus there were three kinds of debts which had to be pro- 
vided for. 

Alexander Hamilton, whom Washington had made Secre- 
tary of the Treasury, rose equal to the occasion. He was a 
financial genius. Daniel Webster said of him, 
HandUon ' ^^ smote the rock of national resources and 

a copious stream of wealth poured forth. He 
touched the dead corpse of public credit and it sprang upon 
its feet." He was at this time but thirty-two years of age, 
but he was one of the leading men of the nation. 

Hamilton proposed that Congress should lay a duty on all 
foreign goods coming into the country, and with the money 
Hamilton's ^^vis. raised should pay the foreign loan and also 
financial the money borrowed from our own citizens. He 

erne made also the startling proposition that Congress 

should assume all the State debts, since they were incurred 
for the common good of all. In this way Congress would 
be responsible for all the debts of the country, whether 
made by the general government during the war or by the 
States themselves. 

To the last proposition there was much opposition, espe- 
cially from the Southern States, which feared the influence 
upon the government of the rich capitalists and merchants 
of the North. In this opposition they were led by Thomas 
Jefferson, who said that the Constitution gave Congress no 
power to assume the debts of the states. If the Constitution 
were stretched to assume this power, it might be stretched 



George Washington, President 253 

some other way, and there was no telling where the assump- 
tion of power would end.^ 

While this discussion was going on, the question of 
locating the seat of government was also in dispute. The 
people of the North wanted it somewhere near 
them, on the Delaware River. The people of cWai"^ 
the South wanted it near them, on the Potomac 
River. Accordingly, a compromise was made by both 
sides. The Southern statesmen agreed to have the govern- 
ment assume the debts of the States, and the Northern 
statesmen agreed that the capital should be on the Potomac 
River. By this compromise the government assumed the 
debts of the States, and the national capital was given its 
present location. 

Another important question was settled by Washington 
while he was President. England and France were engaged 
in war. France wanted the United States to 

Citizen Genet 

help her in her war with England, and sent a 
minister, or representative, to this country, who called him- 
self Citizen Genet (Zhe nay'). Genet tried to obtain ships, 
money, and supplies from the government, but Washing- 
ton flatly refused, and issued a proclamation saying that 
the United States should not take any part in European 
quarrels. 

This declaration made Genet so angry that he tried to stir 

1 The two great statesmen of that day were undoubtedly Hamilton, the 
Secretary of the Treasury, and Jefferson, the Secretary of State, in the cabinet 
of President Washington. They were soon political enemies, unable to agree, 
since thej^ held such different views of the nature of the government. Hamilton 
and Jefferson had many a stormy debate around the table of the President, 
Hamilton insisting that the general government be given much power in itself, 
and Jefferson protesting that the people should retain as much power in their 
own hands as possible. Both these great minds have impressed themselves 
indelibly upon the institutions of the country. 



254 American History 

up a mob in Philadelphia, to overturn the government, and 
remove Washington from office. The result was that Genet 
was sent home promptly. The proclamation of the President 
was accepted by the people as wise, and ever since has been 
the declared policy of our government. 

Washington was President for two terms, or eight years. 
He could have been elected for a third term, but he firmly 
refused, saying that he was tired of the cares of public Ufe, 





\ : 




^S ^l^jg |3Hh "" ^Li fc 1 T B ffl;^^^^l 


L-.. 2^^^ 





Mount Vernon, on the Potomac River, the home of George Washington 

and that two terms were enough for one man. He was now 
getting old, and was anxious to retire from his long pubHc 
service as soldier and statesman. 

After his second term of office expired he returned to his 
home at IMount Vernon, on the Potomac River, and passed 
Old age and ^is remaining years in the peace and quiet of a 
death of country life. Here, December 14th, 1799, he 

ashington (^j^^j^ [^i his sLxty-cighth year. His grave is at 
Mount Vernon, where thousands of visitors go every year 
to pay their tribute of love and veneration to this greatest of 
all our citizens. 



Eli Whitney and the Cotton Gin 255 

Questions. What were the principles of the Federalist party ? What 
were the principles of the Anti-Federalist party? Who was elected the 
first President of the United States? When and where was he inaugu- 
rated? What was the first question to confront the new government? 
Describe the three kinds of debts. What can you say of Alexander Hamil- 
ton? What did Hamilton propose? What startling proposition did he 
make about State debts? What opposition did he meet ? Who was the 
leader of the opposition? 

How did the city of Washington happen to be located on the Potomac 
River? Who was Genet ? What did he want ? What proclamation did 
Washington issue? Describe the retirement and death of Washington. 

Written Work. Write a short statement of Hamilton's financial 
scheme. 



LESSON 64 

ELI WHITNEY AND THE COTTON GIN 

Up to this time very little cotton was raised in the South. 
It took so long to separate the seed from the lint 
that cotton was not a profitable crop.^ No one raising cotton 
could clean more than a pound a day. It was 
easy enough to raise cotton, but there were not enough hands 
in all the South to clean even a small crop. 

In the year 1793 a young man named Eli Whitney was 
living in Georgia. He was born in Massachusetts, but had 
come to Georgia to teach school and study law. He had 
made his home with Mrs. Nathanael Greene, who was living 
at that time not far from Savannah. Whitney had made 
several useful and ingenious things for Mrs. Greene, and she 
had great faith in his power of invention. 

' In 1784 eight bales of cotton were carried by a ship into England, and 
reported as coming from the South. They were promptly seized on the ground 
that such an enormous quantity could not be raised in the United States. Even 
in 1 791 only three hundred and ninety-nine bales were exported from this 
country. 



256 



American History 



Upon one occasion she had a number of distinguished 
guests to dinner, and they were discussing the difficulty of 
removing the cotton hnt from the seed. One 
Whitney an^ ^^ ^-^^ guests remarked that not only fame and 
fortune would await the man who invented a 
machine for this purpose, but that he would also do a great 
service for his country. Mrs. Greene said, " Why not ask 

Mr. Whitney to 
make a machine 
of this sort? 
He can do any- 
thing." 

Whitney was 
sent for, some 
cotton was given 
to him, he hav- 
ing never seen 
any up to that 
time, and the 
difjEiculties ex- 
plained to him. 
He at once set 
to work on a 




Model of Whitney's cotton gin, 1793 



machine. He had to make his own tools, and with his own 
hands made all the parts of the machine. 

He tried to keep his work a secret, but before he had fin- 
ished, some curious people broke into his shop and carried 
off his model. He bravely started on another 
one. When it was finished his friends were 
amazed to see how clever it was. The machine 
could do as much in a few minutes as a man could do in a 
day. 



Whitney 
makes a gin 



Eli Whitney and the Cotton Gin 257 

Whitney devoted himself to the making of cotton ma- 
chines. They were at first called " cotton engines," the 
name being contracted later to " cotton gins." He went back 
to New England, where machinery could be more readily ob- 
tained, but he encountered a great deal of trouble. Once his 
shop was burned ; other people stole his idea ; lawsuits fol- 
lowed to defend his patent. It is doubtful whether he ever 
made any money out of his invention. 

In ten years after the invention of the cotton gin a hun- 
dred thousand bales of cotton were exported to England. 
Every year there was an increase in the crop, 
and money was coming fast into the pockets of cotton ^ 
the cotton planters. It helped the people of 
New England quite as much, for mills were rapidly started 
for the manufacture of cotton cloth. 

One of the effects of the invention of the cotton gin was to 
estabhsh the importance of negro slavery. Up to that time 
many men, both North and South, regretted that 
slavery had ever started in the United States, gj^^ ° 
It was thought to be a great evil as well as a 
great danger. Now that the vast fields of the South were open 
to the cultivation of cotton, and the New England mills 
wanted it for manufacture, everybody stopped talking about 
the evils of slavery. Slavery became profitable for both sides. 

Questions. What was the difficulty in the way of raising cotton? 
Who was Eli Whitney ? What did Mrs. Greene suggest for him to do ? 
Describe the way Whitney invented the cotton gin. What trouble did 
Whitney have with his gins? How much did the cotton crop increase in 
ten years ? How did this help the people of New England ? What effect 
did the cotton gin have on slavery? 

Written Work. Write a short account of how Whitney was led to 
invent the cotton gin. 



258 American History 

LESSON 65 
TROUBLE WITH FRANCE 

John Adams was the second President of the United 
States. He was in office for only one term of four years. 
Nearly all that time was occupied in a trouble that threat- 
ened war with France. 

England and France were still at war. The French 
thought that the United States should aid them in this 
war, since they had aided the United States in the Revo- 
lution. Washington, however, had been too wise to allow 
the young nation to become entangled in this way, and 
France was still nursing its wrath. 

In addition to this, the United States had a dispute with 
Great Britain regarding the terms of the treaty of peace. 
The British had not abandoned all the frontier 
En°"and^' forts, although they had agreed to do so. The 
United States had not paid certain debts due to 
British sympathizers in America during the war. Besides 
this, the British ships would seize American vessels on the 
way to France, and prevent the selling of their cargoes in 
French ports. 

To prevent a war with Great Britain, Washington had 

sent John Jay to England, who had made a treaty that was 

not very satisfactory to the people of America. 

ietV*^'^ They thought England had the better of the 

bargain ; but it was the best that could be done, 

and we were in no condition to dictate terms. 

France, however, was provoked that we had made the 
treaty at all. She wanted us to go to war with her enemy, 
and, out of spite, began to annoy our commerce in the same 
way that England was doing. Our ships were seized at sea, 



Trouble with France 



259 



the vessels and cargoes were sold in French ports, and the 
ministers we sent to France to protest against this action 
were insulted. 

This was the condition of aiTairs when Adams became 
President. It looked very much as if we should have war 
with our old ally, the French. The President 
did not desire this, and sent commissioners to ^^^^^^ *' 
France to treat with the French government. 
The French government, then known as the Directory, would 
not receive the commissioners. 

Three French persons called on the commissioners and 
told them that peace could be secured if they would pay a 
large sum of mo^jey to the directors themselves ; 
in other words, bribe them. To this the com- ^^^^ 
missioners returned an indignant and positive 
refusal. Charles C. Pinckney, one of the commissioners, 
uttered the ringing words, "Millions for defense; but not 
one cent for tribute." 

When President Adams reported the matter to Congress, 
he did not give the names of the three persons, but called 
them X. Y. Z. From this circumstance, it was known as 
" the X. Y. Z. Affair." 

War soon followed between the two countries. Our 
sailors caught up a new song, " Hail, Columbia," and captured 
several French vessels. Napoleon Bonaparte, however, saw 
the folly of war with America, and peace was made in 1800. 

During the controversy with France, several newspapers 
in America were edited by foreigners, who abused the 
American government. To put a stop to this 
Congress passed laws known as the Alien and sedition laws 
Sedition Laws. The Alien law gave the Presi- 
dent the right to send out of the country any foreigner whose 



26o American History 

presence he thought was dangerous to our government. The 
Sedition law gave him the right to punish anybody who was 
abusing the government and stirring up the people against 
the authorities. 

These laws were very unpopular, however, because the 
people thought they took away their Hberty of speech. The 
legislatures of Kentucky and Virginia passed resolutions de- 
claring the laws were contrary to the Constitution, and that 
the States had a right to refuse to obey them. These laws 
were never enforced. 

At the close of Adams's term of office, in 1800, the seat 
of government was moved from Philadelphia to Washington. 
Washington Washington himself had selected the site on 
becomes the the Potomac River. A district ten miles square 
capital ^^g ceded by Maryland to the general govern- 

ment, to be known as the District of Columbia. It is in 
this district that the capital city, named for George Washing- 
ton, is situated. 

At the time the government was moved there, it was 
almost a wilderness. There was but one hotel. The house 
of the President was in an open field. This, with a few scat- 
tered houses along the unpaved streets, made up the town. 
It has since become one of the most beautiful cities in the 
world. 

Questions. WTio was the second President of the United States? 
What war was in progress ? What did the French think ? What disputes 
did we have with Great Britain? What can you say of the Jay treaty? 
What did France do? How were our ships treated? 

What was the X. Y. Z. Affair? What followed? When was peace 
declared? What was the Alien law? What was the Sedition law? 
When did Washington become the capital? 

Written Work. Write an account of how the commissioners received 
the offers of the three French persons. 



Thomas Jefferson 261 

LESSON 66 
THOMAS JEFFERSON 

In 1 80 1 Thomas Jefferson became the third President of 
the United States. He was one of the greatest men in the 
history of our country, and we may well devote this lesson 
to the study of his life and character. 

He was born near Charlottesville, Virginia, April 13, 1743. 
He went to William and Mary College, where as a rule he 
studied fifteen hours a day. He learned the 

, , 1 . , 1. • Early life 

ancient languages thoroughly, and in addition 
knew how to speak French and several other modern lan- 
guages fluently. He said that if he had to choose between 
the pleasure that learning gave him and the estate that his 
father was to leave him, he would prefer education and 
poverty to ignorance and riches. 

He began the practice of law, and became noted for the 
extent and accuracy of his knowledge. He had a poor voice 
for speaking, and was by no means an orator, but he was 
very successful before a jury. One who knew him well said 
that he always seemed to be on the right side. 

When he was a student at college he heard Patrick Henry 
deliver his great speech against the Stamp Act. From that 
time he became an ardent believer in the liber- 
ties of the colonies. When he was twenty-five ubUc^iife 
years old he entered pubUc life, saying that as a 
public servant he would never indulge in any enterprise that 
would increase his private fortune. 

He was a leading man in Congress during the Revolution. 
When he was thirty-three years old he wrote the Declaration 
of Independence, all except a few words that were put in by 



262 



American History 




Thomas Jefferson 



Adams and Franklin. He took no part in the debates on 
the Declaration, which lasted for three days. 

When Jefferson left the Continental Congress he was 
elected a member of the legislature of Virginia. He thought 
Reforms in ^^^^ certain reforms were badly needed. Up to 
this time the law of Virginia allowed a man to 
will his real estate to his descendants with con- 
ditions attached to it, such as not to divide the land up or 



the laws of 
inheritance 



Thomas Jefferson 263 

even to sell it except in the way directed in the will. Also 
there was a law directing that if a man died without leaving 
a will, all his land went to his oldest son. Jefferson had 
these laws repealed, so that no man could leave his real estate 
entailed with conditions, and if he died without a will all 
his children shared alike. 

Up to this time the Episcopal Church was the established 
church in Virginia, and everyone was taxed to support it, 
whether he belonged to it or not. Jefferson introduced 
a bill in the legislature securing to everyone 

^. b J Author of 

freedom to worship as he chose, as well as ex- religious 
emption from punishment for religious belief, and liberty in 
from taxation for the support of any church. Jef- 
ferson is called, " the author of religious liberty in Virginia." 

He was also the founder of the great University of Vir- 
ginia, and planned a scheme for public education at the 
expense of the State, from the lowest grades through the 
University. 

It has been said that Jefferson never made a speech or 
fought a battle. He became great and famous through his 
writings and wise opinions. He was a deep thinker on all 
great questions regarding government. He introduced the 
custom of having the President send a written message to 
Congress instead of making a speech. 

He believed very firmly in the rights of the States to decide 
certain questions for themselves. He was the founder of the 
States' Rights doctrine, which held Congress to Author of 
a strict construction of the Constitution. By this states' Rights 
doctrine all powers not expressly given to Con- 
gress by the Constitution are to be closely construed as 
belonging to the States themselves. 

Jefferson has had a great influence on the institutions and 



264 American History 

history of our country. He was the founder and the first 
leader of the Anti-Federahst party, which became known 
as the RepubHcan party, and which to-day is known 
as the Democratic party. His principles are often re- 
ferred to as the Jeffersonian principles. 

Jefferson lived on a large estate in Virginia. He built 
himself a beautiful home near Charlottesville, called " Monti- 
cello," where he entertained with generous hospi- 
Mo^ndceiio tality. As many as fifty people were sometimes 
guests in his house. He was known as " the 
Sage of Monticello." He had a splendid hbrary, which in 
the latter part of his life he sold to Congress. 

He was a rare scholar, and seemed to know everything.^ 

He always rose early, and sometimes boasted that the sun had 

not caught him in bed for fifty years. He was 

His habits 111 • t -n 

an excellent horseman, a dead shot with a rme, 
and a good violinist. His manners were friendly ; his dress 
plain and simple. 

As President he did not stand aloof from the people, but 
shook hands with all who came. He did not have the 
splendid balls and parties at the White House that former 
Presidents had encouraged, but lived simply and quietly, 
greatly beloved and honored by all the people. 

Questions. Who was the third President of the United States? 
When and where was Jefferson born? Describe his abihty and accom- 

1 It was said that he "could calculate an eclipse, survey an estate, tie an 
artery, plan an edifice, try a cause, break a horse, dance a minuet, and play 
the vioHn." An acquaintance said, "When he spoke of law, I thought he was 
a lawyer; when he talked about mechanics, I was sure he was an engineer; 
when he got into medicine, it was evident that he was a physician ; when he 
discussed theology, I was convinced that he must be a clergyman; when he 
talked literature, I made up my mind that I had run against a college 
professor." 



War with Tripoli 265 

plishments as a student . What was his ability as a lawyer ? Describe his 
entrance into public life. What reform did he bring about in the laws of 
inheritance in Virginia? What reforms in the religious laws did he 
secure ? 

How did Jefiferson become famous ? Of what doctrine is he the author ? 
Of what party is he the founder? Describe his life at home. Describe 
his habits as a man. Describe his habits as President. 

Written Work. Write what you consider to be the most striking 
characteristic of JetTerson. 



LESSON 67 
WAR WITH TRIPOLI 

Along the northern coast of Africa lay the Barbary 
States. Their ships were pirate vessels that infested the 
Mediterranean Sea and compelled all passing craft to pay 
tribute. 

To satisfy these pirates, and in fear of them, many nations 
of Europe had paid large sums of money to the Barbary 
States, on the condition that the pirates would let their 
vessels alone. The United States had also been paying this 
tribute for twenty years. 

The rulers of the Barbary States became very insolent, 
and sometimes added to the tribute money when it was late 
in coming, or wanted it paid in naval stores 
which they greatly undervalued. When Cap- t^e pirates 
tain Bainbridge in 1800 carried the tribute 
money from the United States to Algiers, he was made to 
pull down the flag of his ship and run up that of Algiers. 
This was very insulting, and he said, " I do this because 
there is no choice, but the next time I hope to deliver the 
tribute from the mouth of a cannon." 

The next year the ruler of Tripoh, one of the Barbary 



266 



American History 



War with 
Tripoli begins 



States, was incensed because he thought the tribute was not 
large enough. He declared war upon the United States. 
This was the very thing that our young navy wanted, for 
it was time to teach these insolent pirates a good lesson. 

In 1 80 1 an American vessel attacked a warship of TripoH 
off the coast of the island of Malta. The TripoHtan vessel 
hauled down its flag at the end of two hours. 
As soon as the Americans stopped their guns, 
the TripoHtans fired another broadside. The 
fighting was renewed, and again the enemy's flag was hauled 

down. The guns were 
again stopped, and again 
the Tripolitans fired a 
broadside. 

This treacherous con- 
duct so enraged the 
American sailors that 
they riddled the enemy's 
ship, shot away the 
masts, and killed many 
of the men. They could 
not be stopped, though 
the Tripolitan captain 
wildly tore down his flag 
and threw it into the sea 
as a sign of surrender. 
Then he threw over- 
board all his arms and 
ammunition, cut away the masts, and otherwise dis- 
mantled the ship. He was completely subdued, and was told 
to go home and tell his ruler how the Americans could 
fight. 




Captain Bainbridge resents the insult 
of the Dey of Algiers 



War with Tripoli 267 

The following year an American vessel, the Constellation, 
engaged nine Tripolitan gunboats in battle. Five of these 
were driven ashore, and the rest saved them- 

11 • 1 c i.\. c t. • Exploits of the 

selves by running under cover 01 the torts in a constellation 
near-by harbor. By this time the pirates were 
beginning to have more respect for the young navy of the 
United States. 

Shortly after this, one of the American frigates, the 
Philadelphia, ran aground off Tripoli. It was captured, and all 
the men thrown into prison. An American officer, Lieutenant 
Lieutenant Stephen Decatur, was sent to seize Stephen 
the ship and burn it. It was a cold night, a heavy 
gale was blowing, and Decatur with several men in a small ship 
started on his mission. He silently floated near the stranded 
ship, of which the enemy had possession. Not knowing 
who he was, the Tripolitans warned him away. But he 
came alongside, grappled the sides of the ship, and called 
out, " Board her ! " 

The Americans climbed on the Philadelphia and caught 
the Tripolitans unawares. With swords and pistols they 
made short work of those who did not have time Recapture 
to jump overboard. The Philadelphia was then of the 

. r j-nvA JT-* J Philadelphia 

set on lire, and Decatur and his men escaped 

safely to their own vessel, without the loss of a single 

man. 

This was enough for the Tripolitans. Peace was made, 
all prisoners were ransomed, and the payment of the tribute 
money to the pirates ceased. All Europe rang with praise 
of the bravery and spirit of our naval officers and men. 
The value and necessity of warships became evident, a,nd 
the pride of the people in their own resources and power 
was greatly increased. 



268 American History 

Questions. Describe the pirate ships of the Barbary States. 
What had the nations been doing? What had the rulers of the Barbary 
States become? How was Captain Bainbridge treated in 1800? What 
reply did he make ? How was war declared ? Describe the first engage- 
ment in 1801. What was the result? What happened the following 
year? 

What happened to the Philadelphia? Describe the way Lieutenant 
Decatur attacked the pirates. Describe the success of the attack. What 
followed ? 

Written Work. Suppose you had been with Decatur, what account 
would you write of his victory ? 



LESSON 68 
THE LOUISIANA PURCHASE 

At the end of the French and Indian War all the territory 
west of the Mississippi belonged to Spain (page 152). Spain 
also held the city of New Orleans and the mouth of the Missis- 
sippi River. Naturally the United States was anxious to 
add all this territory to its own domain, as well as to secure 
an outlet through the Mississippi to the Gulf. 

Hardly had Jefferson become President when he heard 
that Spain had sold all this territory, which was called Lou- 
isiana, to the French. He at once directed our minister in 
France to offer to buy New Orleans from Napoleon, who was 
then Emperor of France and a deadly enemy to England. 

Napoleon at first would not listen to it. He changed his 
mind, however, and ofifered to sell not only the city of New 
Napoleon sells Orleans, but all the Louisiana territory, for fifteen 
Louisiana for million doUars. When Napoleon had signed 
$15,000,000 ^j^^ agreement to sell all this domain to the United 
States, he remarked, " I have now given England a rival that 
shall some day humble her pride and break her power." 



The Louisiana Purchase 269 

The treaty was made and signed in 1803. The United 
States came into possession of all the territory between the 
Mississippi River and the Rocky Mountains. This purchase 
doubled the territory of the United States, and removed a 
dangerous rival from our western borders. It was the most 
important act of Jefferson's administration. 

Jefferson's enemies taunted him by saying that the Con- 
stitution gave him no power to make the purchase, and that 
he was abandoning his own principles in doing so. To this 
he replied that the opportunity to make such a great bargain 
was too golden to let slip, and that there could not possibly 
be any opposition to it. 

In order to explore the new territory, Jefferson sent two 
young men from Virginia, Lewis and Clark, with directions 
to go up the Mississippi River, and across the Rocky Moun- 
tains, to the Pacific Ocean. The story of their adventures 
reads like a romance. 

They were gone nearly two years and a half, making 
maps of the regions that they explored, telling the Indians 
of the change of ownership of the lands, and Lewis and 
learning many facts about the great West. They ciark explore 
suffered much hardship at times, but accom- ""'^^^'^^ 
phshed their mission, and brought back a full report of their 
adventures to the President, who had long since given them 
up as lost or dead. 

Thus we see our country expanding in territory and 
power. Settlers and explorers in the North had spread out 
so fast that Vermont had grown into a State and j^^^ states 
been admitted to the Union in 1791. Daniel enter the 
Boone had already led his pioneers across the 
mountains of North Carolina, and so rapidly had settlers 
built homes along the rivers that in 1792 Kentucky also 



270 American History 

became one of the States. In the same way Robertson and 
Sevier had followed the Tennessee and the Cumberland 
rivers and opened up the great State of Tennessee, which 
entered the Union in 1796. 

Emigrants were also rapidly forming settlements along 

the Ohio River. In 1790 a village of log huts along the 

river was named Cincinnati. People came so 

movement ^^^^ ^^'^^ ^^ ^ ^^^ years all the Northwest Ter- 
ritory was alive with hardy pioneers. The tide 
of movement westward was flowing very strong. 

Alexander Hamilton Killed in a Duel. Aaron Burr, a prominent 
politician of New York, had long been the political enemy of Hamilton. 
He discovered that Hamilton had defeated his nomijiation for the gov- 
ernorship of New York. With bitter feelings he challenged Hamilton to 
a duel. Hamilton did not have the courage to refuse. 

In the gray dawn of a July day in 1804 the two men with their seconds 
met on the banks of the Hudson. Hamilton was nervous and undecided ; 
Burr was cool and determined. The men were placed in position, and the 
signal to fire was given. But one shot was heard, and Hamilton pitched 
forward on his face, shot through the body. As he fell, his pistol went off 
in the air, the ball passing over Burr's head. The next day Hamilton 
was dead, and the nation lost one of its most brilliant men. 

Burr later was detected in a conspiracy to set up a western republic. 
He was hunted down and tried, but was acquitted for lack of evidence. 
He passed his last days in neglect and want. 

Questions. Which country held the western territory at the end of 
the French and Indian War ? To which country had it been sold ? What 
did Jefferson direct our minister to do? What did Napoleon offer? 
What did he say? When was the Louisiana Purchase made? What 
can you say of this territory? How did Jefferson defend the act? 

Describe the explorations of Lewis and Clark. What three states were 
now admitted to the Union ? What can you say of Cincinnati ? 

Written Work. Write an account of the explorations of Lewis and 
Clark. 



Robert Fulton and the Steamboat 271 

LESSON 69 
ROBERT FULTON AND THE STEAMBOAT 

We now come to the story of how an American, Robert 
Fulton, made the first successful steamboat. 

Up to this time all ships were sailing vessels. It took 
many weeks to cross the ocean, the time depending upon the 
winds, whether they blew for or against the voyage, or whether 
they blew at all. A trip to Europe and return was a matter of 
weary weeks, and perhaps months. 

Fulton was a Pennsylvania boy, of an inventive turn of 
mind. He was always seeking to make things work better. 
While still a lad he designed a paddle-wheel 
rowboat, in which the paddles were turned by ^ 
a hand crank. He at once thought how much 
better it would be if the crank were turned by an engine. 

Among other things Fulton became an excellent painter 
and a fine draughtsman. He planned a system of canals for 
the country, so that the farmers could reach the markets in 
boats, and he designed locks to move the boats from one level 
to another. 

He lived in England for a while, and made a number of 
inventions, becoming widely known as a promoter of the use- 
ful arts. He also lived in France, studying science and 
engineering, and while there proposed a scheme for sub- 
marine boats and torpedoes to destroy warships by means of 
high explosives. 

All this time, however, he had in mind the great idea of 
propelling a boat by steam power. While still 
in France, he had interested Robert Livingston, in^gntoj. 
a wealthy American statesman, in the idea. 
Together they had a boat made with side wheels and an 



272 



American History 



engine to turn them, and in 1803 it was launched upon the 
Seine (Sane) River. They invited their friends to come and 
see it work, but the night before the time appointed the boat 
sank to the bottom of the river. The machinery was so 
heavy it had broken the boat in two. 




The design of Fulton 's steamboat 



Fulton set to work upon another boat. This time he 
resolved to try it in his native country. He spent all his 

own money, borrowed from his friends, used all 
p ^ »° ^ that Livingston would let him have, and, in 1807, 

was ready for the trial voyage. He had built a 
boat one hundred and thirty feet long, with side paddle- 
wheels turned by an engine. He had been laughed at by 
many people, who called his boat " Fulton's Folly." 

Late in the summer of 1807 a great crowd assembled on 
the docks of the city of New York to see the Clermont — for 

that was the name of the new steamboat — start 

thTaermonf ^" ^^^ ^^^^^ ^'^^P" ^^ ho^'^A were thirty or forty of 

Fulton's friends, among them some ladies of the 

best families in the city. The signal was given, the engine 

started, but the boat did not move. " I will fix it in a few 



Robert Fulton and the Steamboat 273 

minutes," said Fulton, when he saw the trouble. In less 
than a half-hour the engine started again, the wheels turned, 
and the Clermont moved slowly up the river, amid the cheers 
of the crowd, the waving of flags, and the congratulations 
of Fulton's friends. 

The boat moved at the rate of four miles an hour, and in 
thirty-six hours had reached Albany. Here it stayed but 
one night, and came down the river to New York in thirty 
hours. Fulton had at last proved that a boat could be run 
by steam power. He had succeeded, where others before 
him from various reasons had failed. 




—- -->^i: 



The Clermont steams up the Hudson in 1807 

It was not long before the Clermont was making regular 
trips between New York and Albany, charging seven dollars 
a trip, and always crowded with passengers. In the course 
of a few years five or six other boats were built, and were 
used for passenger and freight service up and down the river 
and around New York. 

The thought of the people was now upon steam naviga- 
tion. Every year improvements were made, larger vessels 
and better engines constructed. At last, after 
Fulton was dead, in 1819, a steamship built savannah 
by the directions of a company in Savannah, 
Georgia, and named the Savannah, made the first voyage of a 
steamship across the ocean. 



274 American History 

The people in the ports of Europe had never seen a steam- 
ship, and as it came into the harbor with smoke rolhng from 
the funnels, other vessels in alarm for a burning ship hastened 
to offer help to put out the lire. 

From this beginning have come the great vessels that 
ply all oceans, carrying thousands of people and tons of 
freight, crossing the seas in all weather, regardless of winds 
and tides, and making travel by water a deUght and a com- 
fort, instead of the once dreary and dreaded experience. 

Questions. Describe ships at this time. Who was Robert Fulton? 
What were his ideas as a boy? What things did he plan? Describe 
his life in England. In France. Describe his boat on the Seine and tell 
what happened to it. What did he next design? What was it called? 
Describe the trial trip. What was the name of the boat? When did 
this occur? When did a steamship cross the ocean for the first time? 
What was its name, and by whom built ? Describe the sensation it created. 

Written Work. If you had been a passenger on the Clermont, what 
account would you write of your experience? 



LESSON 70 
TROUBLE WITH ENGLAND 

England and France were still engaged in war. Napoleon 
was the Emperor of the French, and by his skill as a general 
was about to overrun most of Europe. Both of these nations 
had annoyed the American merchant vessels for a long time. 
Napoleon declared that our vessels should not trade with 
England. If they attempted to do so they would be cap- 
tured and destroyed. 

England, on the other hand, declared that American ves- 
sels should not trade with the French. In addition to this, 
England declared that she had a right to stop our vessels 



Trouble with England 275 

on the high seas and examine the sailors on board. If 
there were any Enghsh seamen among them, they were to 
be taken from our vessels by force and made impressing 
to join the EngHsh navy. This was called seamen 
" impressing " the seamen, by the rule of " once an EngHsh- 
man always an Enghshman." 

This had been going on for some time. Many of our 
ships had been stopped by the British war vessels, and even 
native-born Americans had been taken from them, until 
we had lost several thousand sailors. This was humiliating 
to our pride and destructive to our commerce. We bore 
it as long as we could, for we were not in condition to make 
war against so powerful a nation as England. 

In 1807 an American frigate, the Chesapeake, was going 
down the Potomac for a cruise in the Mediterranean. The 
British frigate Leopard overhauled her, fired into ^jjg chesa- 
her, and killed several men. A searching party peake and the 
was sent on board the Chesapeake, and four sailors ^°^^^ 
were taken away, three of whom were Americans. This was 
more than the country could endure, and a cry of indignation 
burst forth from one end of the land to the other. 

Congress made a law in 1807 that no American vessel 
should leave port to trade with foreign countries. This was 
called the Embargo Act, and was designed to cut 
off trade with England, thereby depriving her of ^^ ^g^™ ^° 
the supplies she needed for the war with France. 
It hurt America as much as it did England. Ships and their 
cargoes lay rotting in the ports, seamen were thrown out of 
employment, mills were stopped, and farmers ceased to raise 
crops. There was no available market for cloth, tobacco, 
cotton, or anything else. Everything declined in price, and 
business was at a standstill. 



276 American History 

It was soon evident that the embargo could not last. The 
ship owners declared that they would rather lose a vessel or 

a few men every now and then, than to lose 
course" Act ^^^ their business. In 1809 the Embargo Act 

was repealed, having been in operation for four- 
teen months, and having cost the country many millions of 
dollars. In place of the Embargo, Congress passed the Non- 
Intercourse Act, which forbade American vessels from trad- 
ing with either England or France as long as they were hostile 
to the United States. 

JAMES MADISON, PRESIDENT 

At this juncture Jefferson's term expired, and James Mad- 
ison became the fourth President of the United States (1809). 
Like Jefferson he was a man of peace, and was anxious to 
avoid trouble with any foreign nation. 

The British minister at Washington assured Madison that 
the English government would protect all American ves- 
Treachery of '^^^^ ^^^^ would trade exclusively with England. 
England and Madison quickly and gladly announced that the 
Non-Intercourse Act was suspended so far as 
England was concerned. Almost immediately the imprisoned 
fleet of merchant vessels spread their white sails for England. 

The British government, however, declared that their 
minister had promised too much, and that they would not 
agree to suspend the searching of American vessels. Where- 
upon Madison in deep chagrin withdrew his announcement. 

Napoleon now promised the same thing for France, if our 
ships would not trade in English ports. Again we were 
deceived. As soon as our vessels reached French ports, 
they were seized and sold. Ten million dollars' worth of 
property fell into the hands of the French. 



Trouble with England 277 

To make matters worse, it was found that a famous 
Indian chief, Tecumseh, and his brother. The Prophet, had 
organized the Indian tribes of the Northwest 
into a great confederacy for the purpose of xjppecanoe 
kiUing all the whites or driving them out of 
the country. It was beheved that England had secretly 
aided Tecumseh in the plot. Dreadful massacres occurred 
in many places. General WilHam Henry Harrison, who 
later on was to become President of the United States, marched 
against the Indians. A battle was fought at Tippecanoe, 
Nov. 7, 181 1, in which the savages were defeated. 

All these things taken together irritated the Americans 
beyond endurance. England declared that she had a right 
to search the American vessels and take from second war 
them all British sailors. The Americans refused with England 
to acknowledge this right. England persisted 
in stopping our ships and impressing seamen for her own 
ser\dce. This was the reason that a second war with Eng- 
land was declared by Congress in 181 2. 

Questions. What attitude did England and France assume toward 
American merchant vessels? What right did England claim? What 
is meant by " impressing seamen " ? What can you say of the way our 
ships had been treated? What happened in 1807 to the Chesapeake? 
What was the embargo of 1807? What was the effect of the embargo? 
What became of the Embargo Act ? What was the Non-Intercourse Act ? 

Who became the fourth President of the United States? What 
kind of man was Madison? How was he deceived by the assurances 
of the British minister? What mistake had been made? How was 
he deceived by the promises of Napoleon ? Who was Tecumseh ? What 
great battle was fought by General Harrison? What was the cause of 
the second war with England? 

Written Work. Make a written statement of the events and causes 
that led up to the War of 181 2. 



278 American History 

LESSON 71 
THE WAR OF 1812 BEGUN 

At the beginning of the War of 1812, the United States 
had eight miUions of people ; England had twenty miUions. 
England and ^he United States had a revenue of about ten 
America com- million dollars a year ; England had three hun- 
^^'^'^ dred and fifty millions. The United States had 

sixteen war vessels ; England had over eight hundred. The 
United States had six thousand seamen ; England had one 
hundred and fifty thousand. 

There was a great difference between our young nation and 
its powerful enemy, but we shall see that we gave a good 
account of ourselves. 

The first movement in the war was to attack Canada. 
General WiUiam Hull, an old hero of the Revolutionary 
War, started on his way to strengthen Detroit, then a town 
of about eight hundred people. It was a dreadful march 
through two hundred miles of woods and swamps. Soon 
after he arrived in Detroit, he found that the British had 
moved up behind him and cut off his supphes and ammuni- 
tion. He was surrounded by a British force and a large 
body of savage Indian allies. 

The old general should have given battle and died in de- 
fense of the place if need be, but he was so alarmed for the 
safety of his men and for the women and children 
Dete^it"^" °^ of the place, that without waiting to be attacked 
and without firing a gun, he surrendered his 
army and the fort (August 16, 1812). This was a bad begin- 
ning of the war, for it gave all Detroit and Michigan to the 
British. The people were indignant at the apparent coward- 
ice of General Hull. He was court-martialed for his act 



The War of i 8 i 2 Begun 



279 



and sentenced to be shot. President Madison, however, 
pardoned him on account of his past record in the Rev- 
olution. 

The Americans had 
expected great things 
from their land forces, 
but all the attempts 
made against Canada 
ended most disas- 
trously. They had not 
expected much from 
the little navy, but it 
was from our few bat- 
tleships that the great- 
est glory was won. 

Three days after the 
surrender of Detroit 
the American vessel 
Constitution, in com- 
mand of Captain Isaac 
Hull, fell in with the 
British man-of-war 
Guerriere (Gar ri ar') 
off the coast of Nova 
Scotia. The fight lasted 
only a half-hour, but at the end the British ship was a hope- 
less wreck. It was surrendered to Captain Hull, who blew 
it up with powder, and then sailed away to Boston with his 
prisoners. This was a great victory. The Constitution was 
hardly damaged, and was henceforth known as Old Ironsides. 
Hull was voted a gold medal by Congress, and fifty thousand 
dollars were divided among the men as prize money. 




General Hull in a panic of fear surrenders 
Detroit without striking a blow 




28o 



The War of 1812 Begun 281 

This was but the beginning. Two months later Stephen 
Decatur, in command of his frigate the United States, met 
the Enghsh frigate Macedonian. After a fight _. „ 

^ ^ _ o The United 

which lasted only a short time, the English states and 
commander surrendered, having lost ten times *^^ Macedo- 
as many men as Decatur. When the English 
vessel was boarded, Decatur was surprised to find it com- 
manded by one of his old friends. When he offered Decatur 
his sword, Decatur said, " I cannot take a sword from a man 
who has so bravely defended his ship." 

In October the American sloop Wasp fell in with the 
British brig Frolic off the coast of North Carolina. The 
vessels lay alongside each other, both being fearfully dam- 
aged in the fight. When they grappled and the Americans 
boarded the Frolic, they found only the man at the wheel 
and two officers. The others had run below for safety. 
There were hardly twenty men on board that were unhurt. 
This would also have been a great victory, if a British gun- 
ship had not suddenly appeared and captured the almost 
helpless American vessel. 

In December, the Constitution, now under command of 
Commodore Bainbridge, engaged the British ship Java 
off the coast of Brazil. This battle lasted sev- other vic- 
eral hours, but the American guns shot away tones on the 
every mast from the British ship, and opened 
her hull with round shot. The Java surrendered, with the 
loss of her captain and over a hundred men. The Constitu- 
tion had lost only thirty-four. 

The war thus carried on at sea was a series of almost un- 
broken victories. In six months the American navy had cap- 
tured three British frigates, many smaller vessels, and any 
number of privateers. The British had captured but three 



282 American History 

small vessels. All the world was sounding the praises of the 
bravery, skill, and marksmanship of the American sailors in 
their contest with the mighty nation which up to this time 
had not met its match on the sea. 

The Wager of a Hat. Isaac Hull, who commanded the Constitution, 
and Captain Dacres, who commanded the Guerrierc, were old friends. In 
former days they had made a wager of a hat on the result of a battle if 
they should ever meet. 

After the Guerriere was in a sinking condition, Hull sent his compli- 
ments to Dacres, and asked him if he had struck his flag. Dacres replied 
to the ofhcer bearing the message, " Well, our mizzenmast is gone, and so 
is our mainmast. On the whole, you may say that we have struck our 
flag." 

When Dacres came up the side of the Constitution, Hull advanced to 
meet him, smiling. Extending his hand, he said, " Dacres, I wiU thank 
you for that hat." 

Collateral Reading. " Old Ironsides," by O. W. Holmes. 

Questions. Compare the United States and England in 181 2 as to 
population ; as to revenue ; as to war vessels ; as to seamen. Describe 
the way that Hull surrendered Detroit. What became of Hull ? Describe 
the engagement of the Constitution and the Guerriere. By what name was 
the Constitution now known? Describe the engagement between the 
United States and the Macedonian; between the Constitution and the 
Java; between the Wasp and the Frolic. What had our navy done in six 
months? 

Written Work. Write the story of Hull's wager of a hat. 



The War of 1 8 I 2 283 

LESSON 72 
THE WAR OF 1812 (Continued) 

In June, 1813, occurred the battle between the American 
frigate Chesapeake and the British ship Shannon. The 
Chesapeake was in the harbor of Boston under- jj^^ qy^^^^, 
going repairs, Captain Lawrence being in com- peake and 
mand. The British ship, cruising outside, ^ annon 

challenged Lawrence to come out and fight. The Chesapeake 
was not quite ready, and the crew were not at all willing, but 
Lawrence put out to sea. The ships engaged, and in a few 
minutes the Chesapeake was completely disabled by the shots 
of the enemy. 

Captain Lawrence was mortally wounded, and was carried 
below in a critical condition. He kept saying to those around 
him, " Don't give up the ship." The vessel became the 
prize of the Shannon, but the dying words of the brave com- 
mander have been the inspiration of every American sailor 
since that day. 

September 10, 1813, a great victory was won on Lake Erie 
by Ohver H. Perry, who was not yet thirty years of age, and 
who up to this time had never commanded a ship in battle. 
He had been assigned to the command of the American fleet 
on Lake Erie. 

When he reached the lake he found almost no fleet. He 
set to work with ship carpenters, and cutting down the trees 
near the shore he made five vessels and fitted them for serv- 
ice. To these were added four more vessels, and over all 
the commander's flag floated, bearing the words, " Don't 
give up the ship." 

Soon the British fleet of six vessels was encountered, and 



284 



American History 




Captain Lawrence, as he was borne below, cried out to his men, 
' ' Don*t give up the ship ' ' 



The War of i 8 i 2 285 

a terrible battle ensued. Perry's ship was literally cut to 

pieces, the decks ran with blood, and were covered with the 

dead and dying. In the midst of the battle, 

and amid a hail of bullets from the enemy, he Lake^Erie 

lowered a boat, took, his little brother, twelve 

years old, and ordered the crew to row him to another ship. 

It was a dangerous trip. The boat was the target of every 

gunner that could see it, but as by a miracle Perry reached 

the other ship in safety. 

The end of the battle was a great victory for Perry and his 
homemade ships. The British surrendered to the young 
officer, who immediately wrote a dispatch to General Har- 
rison as follows : " We have met the enemy, and they are 
ours ; two ships, two brigs, one schooner, and one sloop." 
This victory gave the Americans command of Lake Erie, 
and the British withdrew from Detroit. 

From now on to the end of the war many naval battles 
occurred from time to time. We need not mention them, nor 
were they very important. It is sufficient to say 

1 I- 1 • 1 1 1 . ■,- ^ The privateers 

that our little navy, aided by privateers, did great 
damage to the British commerce. One privateer captured 
twenty-seven merchant vessels in a month. Another cap- 
tured twenty. In two years and a half over fourteen hun- 
dred EngHsh ships with cargoes valued at many millions of 
dollars were captured by these swift-saihng privateers. Of 
course the American foreign trade was practically destroyed, 
for the British ships watched our coasts hke hawks ready 
to swoop down on our merchant vessels if they ventured 
outside. 

Let us now return to the operations on land. Perry's 
victory on Lake Erie had opened the way for another cam- 
paign against Canada. The British moved out of Detroit, 



286 



American History 



pursued by General Harrison. They were overtaken at 

the Thames River. The British officer ran away, but 

old Tecumseh, the Indian chief, stood his 

ground. He had said the night before the battle 

that he was going there to die. So it was, for 

he fell pierced with many wounds, and his followers were 



Battle of the 
Thames 




TecLimst'h at the battle of the Thames falls pierced with many wounds 

badly beaten. The alliance of the Indians and the British 
was broken, and the Ohio territory was free from danger 
of invasion. 

The inhabitants of Georgia and Alabama were threatened 
with Indian warfare. The Creeks had been aroused long 



The War of i8i 2 287 

before by the appeals of Tecumseh. They had descended 
on Fort Mims, not far from Mobile. One day while the 
sentinels were careless, the guns laid aside, Massacre at 
and the gates open, the Creeks burst upon the ^°^^ ^'™^ 
fort and massacred three hundred men, women, and children. 
Retribution came swiftly. General Andrew Jackson of 
Tennessee, with a body of regulars, pursued the savages 
ruthlessly. They made a last stand at the Horseshoe Bend 
on the Tallapoosa River. There a thousand warriors were 
gathered with their squaws and children. After the battle 
six hundred were dead, and the rest scattered in every direc- 
tion. The power of the Indians in the South was broken 
forever. 

Tecumseh. Tecumseh was probably the greatest American Indian 
that the race ever produced. He was a noble soldier, and never allowed 
his prisoners to be tortured. Upon one occasion he came upon a number 
of Indians engaged in torturing a lot of captives while a British general 
looked on unconcerned. Tecumseh furiously thrust the Indians aside, 
freed the poor wretches from their torture, and turning to the general, 
said, " Why do you allow such an outrage? " " Your warriors cannot 
be restrained," was the reply. " You are not fit to command," cried 
Tecumseh. " Go home and put on dresses like a woman." 

Tecumseh was an able general, skilled in woodcraft and strategy. He 
was personally very brave. As an orator he had few equals ; no one could 
resist his splendid eloquence. 

When Tecumseh went to Alabama to stir up the Creeks, he found 
them unwilling to rebel against the whites. He angrily told them, " Your 
blood is white. You do not want to fight. You do not believe the Great 
Spirit has sent me, but you shall believe it. I am going back to Detroit. 
When I get there I shall stamp my foot on the ground and shake every 
house in your village." 

After he left, the Indians counted the days until he should reach home. 
About the time he was due there, an earthquake shook the village. The 
Indians rushed wildly from their dwellings, crying, " Tecumseh is in 
Detroit: we feel the stamp of his foot." 



288 American History 

Questions. How did the Chesapeake happen to engage the Shannon? 
What were the dying words of Captain Lawrence? When was the battle 
of Lake Erie fought ? Describe Perry's daring movements. What was 
the result of the battle? What message did Perry send? 

What can you say of the privateers? Describe the battle of the 
Thames. Describe the death of Tecumseh. Describe the massacre 
at Fort Mims. . What retribution did the Indians meet? 

Written Work. Write the account of a supposed eyewitness at the 
battle of Lake Erie. 



LESSON 73 
THE WAR OF 1812 (Concluded) 

In the summer of 1814 two battles were fought near 
Niagara Falls. One was at Chippewa and the other at 
Lundy's Lane. In the first battle the British were repulsed ; 
but in the next, which was fought for five hours in the dark- 
ness of night, the result was uncertain. Both sides claimed 
the victory. 

The British in the meantime had blockaded all the Ameri- 
can ports. Their huge navy ranged along the Atlantic 
The city of coast, and frequently descended on some small 
Washington village, which they plundered and destroyed. In 
captured August, 1814, a fleet sailed up the Chesapeake 

Bay and landed a body of troops a few miles from Wash- 
ington. Scattering the Americans before them, the British 
marched upon the capital, then a town of eight thousand 
people, and entered it without opposition. 

President Madison fled in haste, with all the members of 
his Cabinet. Mrs. Madison hastily collected some of the 
silver and a few valuable relics, including the Declaration 
of Independence and a fine portrait of Washington, and left 
just in time to escape capture. The dinner had been laid 



TheWarofi8i2 289 

for the President and his friends, but the British enjoyed the 
feast that had been prepared for others. 

The pubHc buildings were at the mercy of the British. 
The Capitol, the President's House, the Treasury building, 
the navy yards, and many private buildings were burned. It 
was a piece of ruthless warfare, and all the more shameful 
because it was authorized by the British home govern- 
ment. 

The same force started for Baltimore. Their ships came 
in sight of the city and began to bombard Fort McHenry, 
which was the main defense. All day long and 
late into the night the British poured shot Baltimore 
against the walls of the fort, over which floated 
the American flag. The people of Baltimore anxiously 
watched the result. When morning came and they saw the 
flag of their country still waving over the fort, their joy knew 
no bounds. The British had sailed down the Chesapeake, 
and Baltimore was safe. 

It was on this occasion that Francis S. Key of Baltimore 
wrote the beautiful poem, " The Star-spangled Banner." 
He was a prisoner on board a British ship, „ j^^ ^^^J._ 
and all night long, by the flash of the guns, he spangled 
had watched the waving of the American flag 
over the fort. In the morning the flag was still there. On 
the back of an old letter he wrote the beautiful lines of the 
poem, which the people from one end of the country to 
the other took up as a national song of rejoicing. 

About the same time a British force moved down from 
Canada to attack New York. They came by way of Lake 
Champlain in a fleet of vessels. Commodore McDonough 
was in command of a small American fleet, and gave battle 
to the invaders at Plattsburg Bay. 



290 American History 

At the very first fire of the enemy a chicken coop was 
broken open on one of the American vessels, and out flew a 

young rooster, that perched upon one of the 
crnalr^'""" guns and began to crow loudly. The soldiers 

cheered as the rooster crowed. They handled 
their guns so bravely that in a few hours all the British ships 
were in full flight for safety. This put an end to the inva- 
sion from Canada. 

The last battle of the war was at New Orleans in Janu- 
ary, 1815. The British general Packenham landed below 

the city with eight thousand men. General 
Battle of Andrew Jackson defended it with half that num- 

New Orleans •' 

ber. He had built fortifications of earth, stones, 
cotton bales, logs, and of anything else he could get. The 
battle began at daybreak, and was over in two hours. It 
was a wonderful victory. The British had twenty-six hun- 
dred men killed and wounded. General Jackson lost only 
seventy-five men. 

This battle was fought after peace had been declared be- 
tween the two countries. A treaty between the United 
States and Great Britain had been signed at 
Gh^e^nt"* Ghent in Belgium, December 24th, 1814, which 
was to end the war. There were no telegraph or 
cable fines in those days to bring the news, and it was many 
weeks before it reached America. 

Strange to say, the treaty did not mention the question 
of searching American vessels, the very thing the war was 
fought about. It was not necessary, for it was understood 
that the American claims were allowed, and our merchant 
ships should no longer be rnolested. 

The war had cost the country over a hundred million dol- 
lars. Thirty thousand lives had been lost, a great number 



The War of i 8 i 2 



291 



of vessels captured by the enemy, and all commerce practi- 
cally destroyed. 

It had never been a popular war with the people of New 
England. Toward the end several of the New England 
States had called a convention at Hartford 
to protest against some measures which they convention 
thought were in violation of the Constitution. It 
was understood that in case Congress did not attend to the 
complaint of these New England States and stop the war 
which was so ruinous to their commerce, measures would 
be taken by them looking to their withdrawal from the Union. 
Before the Convention could present its protest to Congress, 
however, word arrived that peace had been declared. 

The country now gladly returned to peaceful pursuits. 
The world had learned that we could take care of ourselves 
on land and on sea, and that henceforth our 
merchant ships should be respected. The begin- ^^5^^°^ "™ 
ning of a long era of peace and prosperity found 
the nation ready and willing to build up the great country 
they had won through two dreadful wars. 

The Burning of the Capitol. The British had encamped at night 
within a quarter of a mile of the Capitol. In the early morning they 
started for the building, bent on destruction. A notorious officer named 
Cockburn, followed by a mob of soldiers, entered the Capitol, climbed up 
to the Speaker's chair and called out, " Shall this harbor of Yankee de- 
mocracy be burned? " 

The mob of half-drunken soldiers called out, " Aye ! " and proceeded 
to apply the torch to the building. They then marched to their destruc- 
tive work elsewhere. 

Story of the Origin of Uncle Sam. During the War of 1812 an 
inspector of supi^lies for the army at Troy marked all the boxes with the 
name of the contractor, and then stamped U. S. on them, meaning, of 
course. United States. The inspector, however, was generally known in 



292 American History 

town as Uncle Sam, and some one said in a joke that he put his initials on 
the boxes to let the boys in the army know he was thinking about them, 
and was sending them food and clothing. 

The joke spread outside of the town and into the army. The soldiers 
would say, " Here is something from Uncle Sam." After a while nearly 
everybody was saying it, and even to-day we often hear the United States 
spoken of as Uncle Sam. 

Collateral Reading. " The Star-spangled Banner," by Francis S. 
Key. 

Questions. What battles were fought in the summer of 18 14? 
When was the <^ty of Washington captured ? What did Madison and his 
Cabinet do? What did Mrs. Madison do? What did the British do? 
Describe the attack on Baltimore. What was the occasion for the writ- 
ing of " The Star-spangled Banner "? 

Describe the incident of the battle of Plattsburg Bay. What was 
the last battle of the War of 181 2? What were the defenses of General 
Jackson? Describe the battle. When had a treaty of peace been 
signed? What was strange about the treaty? What was the Hartford 
Convention ? What lessons had we gained from the war ? 

Written "Work. Write an account of the burning of the city of Wash- 
ington and your opinion of the act. 



LESSON 74 
THE ERA OF GOOD FEELING 

In 1 81 7 James Monroe became the fifth President of the 
United States. He also was from Virginia, as were Wash- 
ington, Jefferson, and Madison before him. That noble State 
had furnished four out of five of the first presidents. For that 
reason Virginia is often called " The Mother of Presidents." 

Monroe had just graduated from William and Mary College 
when the Revolution began. He laid aside his books, joined 
the army as many other young men did, and fought bravely 
in several battles. He had been Minister to several countries 



The Era of Good Feeling 293 

abroad, Governor of Virginia, and Secretary of State while 
Madison was President. 

Monroe was of a gentle disposition, industrious, generous, 
and amiable. It was a time of political peace. The eight 
years that he was President are known as 
" the era of good feehng." When he was in- ^Jo^^eeLg 
augurated he stood by the ruins of the Capitol, 
which the British had burned, and which the workmen were 
busily engaged in restoring, calling upon the people to rebuild 
their country upon the desolation of war, and foretelling a 
long season of prosperity. 

There was now practically but one political party. The 
old Federalist party had almost ceased to exist. Everyone 
belonged to the Republican party, which was the new name 
for the Anti-Federalist party. 

When the time came for Monroe's election for a second 
term, he received the votes of all the delegates but one, and 
that delegate said he voted against him because he wanted 
Washington to be the only President who ever received a 
unanimous vote. 

The people now turned their attention to internal improve- 
ments, and to building up manufactures. They had already 
learned this lesson well during the war, for, trade 
being cut off from Europe, the people were J^p^oTements 
obliged to depend upon themselves. Home 
production became a necessity. Mills, foundries, factories, 
and many other kinds of industries sprang up all over the 
country. They prospered because they had no foreign 
competition. 

Now that the war was over, the ports of the country were 
open to foreign trade. Ships from England began to arrive, 
fleet after fleet, laden with English goods. In a few years 



294 American History 

the imports had increased tenfold. English labor was 

skilled, and English goods were well made and cheap. The 

English merchants threatened to undersell the 

°^^^^f-.- „ American merchants on American soil. There 

competition 

was no considerable duty on these imported 
goods, and England was able to lay them down here cheaper 
than we could make them. In this predicament the 
American manufacturers began to see the millions of dollars 
they had invested in mills and factories endangered by foreign 
competition. 

To prevent this disaster the manufacturers appealed to 
Congress to increase the duties ^ on certain foreign goods, so 
that they could not be sold in America at a less price than 
they could afford to make them themselves. In other words, 
the manufacturers wanted protection. 

Up to this time the duty on foreign goods had been chiefly 

to raise a revenue to pay the expenses of government. This 

was called a tariff for revenue only. Now when 

esire or ^j^^^ tariff was increased on certain articles to 

protection 

prevent them from being sold for less than the same 

articles that were manufactured at home could be profitably 

sold, it was called a tariff for protection, or a protective tariff. 

Congress passed a Protective Tariff Act in 1816. It 

imposed a high duty on foreign cotton and 
The Protective , j t u -ii t 

Tariff f 1816 woolen goods, to encourage home mills, in 

the same way other foreign goods were taxed 

which came into competition with home productions. The 

1 It is well to understand that when a foreign-made article is brought into 
this country the importer pays a charge upon it. This is called the duty and 
is added to the first price of the article to be paid by the purchaser. The 
home manufacturer pays no duty, hence he can get more for his product than 
the man who imports goods from abroad. The duty thus protects the home 
manufacturer by increasing the cost of foreign goods. 



The Era of Good Feeling 295 

principle of tariff for protection and the question of what 
things should be protected and how far, have ever since 
been a cause of dispute and difference among the people. 
Political parties have been formed, sections have been divided, 
and statesmen have contended over the tariff. 

As a general thing, we may say that those portions of our 
country where manufacturing is the main industry of the 
people, and where protection for articles to be sold is most 
needed, have strongly favored a high tariff. 

Those portions of our country that are agricultural and 
where manufactured articles of all sorts have to be bought, 
have wanted a low tariff. 

At the time that the protective tariff was passed, all 
sections of the country agreed that it was a wise measure. 
The agricultural States of the South wanted good prices for 
cotton goods ; the Western States wanted protection for 
hemp, flax, and their other products ; the manufacturers of 
New England wanted their mills to flourish. So for a time 
everybody was content, and the era of good feeling was 
undisturbed. 

Questions. Who became the fifth President of the United States? 
What can you say of Virginia and the Presidents? What was the 
previous life of Monroe? What was his character? What was his 
administration known as? Describe his inauguration. What can you 
say of his reelection? 

To what did the people turn their attention? What can you say 
of home production? What can you say of English ships? What 
did the EngHsh merchants threaten to do? What disaster threatened? 
What was Congress asked to do? 

What is a tariff for revenue ? What is a tariff for protection ? What 
tariff act was passed in 1816? What can you say of the different views 
of the people on the tariff ? 

Written Work. Write a statement of the meaning of tariff for revenue 
and tariff for protection. 



296 American History 

LESSON 75 
THE MISSOURI COMPROMISE 

Let us take a look at the condition of the country at this 

time. You will remember that during the Revolution there 

were only thirteen States. Shortly after the 

Ohio admitted , ■' 

war ended, Vermont, Kentucky, and Tennessee 
were admitted to the Union. Then a great tide of immigra- 
tion set in westward, and the Ohio River was full of boats 
carrying people into the Northwest Territory. So rapidly 
was the country settled, that in 1803 Ohio was admitted as 
a State. Thus at the beginning of the century the thirteen 
States had grown to seventeen. 

Nine years passed before another State came in. The 
southern part of the great territory of Louisiana, which 

Jefferson had bought from France, applied for 
admitted admission in 1812. It was admitted under the 

name of Louisiana, making eighteen States in 
the Union during the War of 1812. 

The Northwest Territory kept filHng up, and the people 
kept going westward. Indiana was admitted in 1816. The 

Southwest was also developing, and Mississippi 

other states , ^ . r^ n,- • 

became a State m 1817. Then lUmois was 
admitted in 1818, and Alabama in 1819. 

We see, therefore, that in 1819 there were twenty-two States. 
All the territory east of the Mississippi, except the present 
States of Michigan, Wisconsin, and Florida, had been organ- 
ized, and one State beyond the Mississippi had been admitted. 

Not only were new States entering the Union, but new 
territory was being acquired. Florida, which by the Treaty 
of Paris was still a Spanish possession, was a source of annoy- 
ance. The government was inefficient and the territory be- 



The Missouri Compromise 297 

came a resort of pirates and robbers, and the retreat of run- 
away slaves from Georgia and Alabama. Even the Seminole 
Indians in Florida could not be kept down, but sallied forth 
from the swamps and forests, attacked farms and villages, and 
destroyed much property in Georgia. 

This was very irritating, and General Andrew Jackson 
was sent to put an end to all these outrages. This he pro- 
ceeded to do in his \'igorous way. Spain now 
wisely agreed to sell the territory of Florida to Qf^i^^^^^^ 
the United States for the sum of five million 
dollars (1819). In this way another great territory was 
added to the domain of the United States. 

So far all the States had been admitted very peaceably to 
the Union. Some had come in as slaveholding States, and 
some as free States. There were many people 

•' ^ '^ Slaveholding 

in the North and some in the South who thought 
that slavery was a great evil, and that slaveholding ought to 
be aboHshed, or, at least, restrained. It had been forbidden 
by the Constitution as well as by special law to import 
slaves after the year 1808. By the " Ordinance of 1787 " it 
had been determined that there should be no slave States in 
the Northwest Territory. 

All the States from Pennsylvania north had freed their 
slaves before 1820. and the slaveholding States were now 
in the South, where cotton was grown in great quantities 
and slaveholding was profitable. 

WTien Missouri appHed for admission to the Union, a 
great dispute arose over the question of slavery. The people of 
Missouri wanted that State to be admitted as a 
slave State. Those who were opposed to slavery gilv^eV^ °^^^ 
insisted that there were enough slave States 
alreadv, and that Missouri should come in as a free State. 



298 



American History 




Henry Clay 



For nearly two years the debate was carried on with bit- 
terness. At last a compromise was agreed upon. It was 
^, ^ . as follows : Missouri should be admitted as a 

Clay brings 

about the slavc State, with the understanding that there- 
Missoun after all States to be formed out of the territory 

Compromise 

west and northwest of Missouri, that is, above 
the parallel of 36° 30' , should come in as free States. Con- 



The Missouri Compromise 299 

gress agreed to this, and Missouri was admitted (1821). 
This measure is known as the Missouri Compromise. 

Henry Clay of Kentucky was prominent in bringing 
about this happy solution of the difficulty. On account of 
his many adroit measures in securing compromise legislation, 
he is often spoken of as " The Great Pacificator." 

The effect of the Missouri Compromise was to exclude 
slaveholding from all Western States north of the southern 
boundary line of Missouri, except in that one State. In the 
meantime Maine had been admitted to the Union as a free 
State in 1820. The slave States and the free States were 
still equal in number. 

The aged Jefferson was opposed to slavery, yet he favored 
its extension to Missouri, hoping thereby to scatter its influ- 
ence without increasing the evil. He said, after Jefferson's 
the compromise had been agreed upon, " The views on 
question sleeps for the present, but it is not ^ ^^^'^^ 
dead : I thank God I shall not live to witness the issue. 
This momentous question, like a fire bell in the night, awak- 
ened me and filled me with terror." 

Questions. What States had been admitted shortly after the Revo- 
lution? When was Ohio admitted? When was Louisiana admitted? 
How many States were there during the War of i8i 2 ? When did Indiana 
come in? Mississippi? Illinois? Alabama? How many States were 
there in 1819? 

What new territory was acquired in 1819? How much did the United 
States pay for Florida ? What can you say of slave States and free States ? 
What had the Constitution to say about the importing of slaves? 

What disputes arose when Missouri applied for admission? What 
had Jefferson already said about this dispute? What compromise was 
reached? What was it called ? What was its effect? What can you say 
of Henry Clay ? How was the balance of slave and free states maintained ? 

Written Work. Write a statement of the meaning of the Missouri 
Compromise. 



300 American History 



LESSON 76 

THE MONROE DOCTRINE 

About the time that the United States was obtaining the 
territory of Florida from Spain, that country was having 
trouble with her South American colonies. One after 
another they had risen in rebellion, declared themselves 
independent of Spain, and set up governments of their own. 

The United States naturally felt a great sympathy for 
these struggling young republics. It was not long before 
Congress recognized their independence and provided means 
to send ministers to their governments. 

In Europe, the older governments had been alarmed at 
the rise of republican ideas. A number of the powers had 
formed an agreement known as the Holy Alli- 
Aiuance^ ance. Its purpose was to give mutual aid in 
putting down any revolution that might occur. 
This was easily carried out in Europe, and whenever an out- 
break, occurred in any country in the Alliance the others 
would help to restore the old order of things. 

The aUies turned their attention to the condition of affairs 
in South America. They began to consider how the re- 
volted colonies might be restored to Spain. Possibly they 
hoped that Spain would reward some or all of them by 
liberal grants of territory in South America, thus giving 
them a foothold on that side of the Atlantic. England was 
the only European country that opposed this interference 
in South American affairs. 

In the meanwhile, Russia, not satisfied with owning 
Alaska, had issued an order reserving all trade and fishing 
on the northwest coast as far down as the fifty-lirst parallel 



The Monroe Doctrine 301 

of latitude exclusively to Russian subjects, and forbidding 

all foreigners to come within one hundred miles 

of the coast. This seemed to encroach upon ^^^f^ 

the territory of the United States, and there 

was no telHng how far down the coast the Russians would 

extend their demands. 

In view of the situation in South America and the action 
of Russia, it appeared to President Monroe that the Euro- 
pean nations were trying to establish colonies in America. 
This would be a source of danger and annoyance to our 
government. John Quincy Adams, who was then the Sec- 
retary of State, informed the Russian minister that the 
United States would take the position that the American 
continents were no longer open to colonization by any Euro- 
pean power. The time had come for the establishment of 
colonies in America to cease. 

President Monroe in 1823 sent his famous message to 
Congress in which he said : 

The American Colonies, by the free and independent 
condition that they have assumed and maintained, are 
henceforth not to be considered as subjects for future colo- 
nization by any European powers. 

We should consider any attempt on their part to extend 
their system to any portion of this hemisphere as dangerous 
to our peace and safety. We could not view any inter- 
position for the purpose of opposing them [Mexico and the 
South American Republics] or controlling their destiny by 
any European power, in any other light than as a mani- 
festation of an unfriendly disposition towards the United 
States. 

This declaration is known as the Monroe Doctrine. It 
is not a law of the land, but is merely a statement by 
President Monroe of the poHcy of the United States. In 



302 American History 

plain words, it means that no European nation should hence- 
forth found any colonies in America, nor interfere in the 
affairs of any American country. This appeared 
Doctrine ^° ^^^^ '■'^^^ prudent that it has been enforced 

by all parties and Presidents since that day as 
one of the settled principles of our government. 

When Monroe asked Jefferson's advice about it, that aged 
statesman replied that our first maxim should be never to 
entangle ourselves in the broils of Europe ; our second, 
never to suffer Europe to intermeddle with affairs on this 
side of the Atlantic. 

The message of Monroe had its effect. England joined 
the United States in demanding that the allies let the South 
American republics alone. Shortly afterwards a treaty was 
made with Russia which settled the Hmits of her claim on 
the northwest coast. The Monroe Doctrine was announced 
in Europe, and has never been contested by any of its 
governments. 

One happy event closed the term of President Monroe. 
The aged Lafayette made a visit to the United States in 
1824. He came as a guest of the nation, and 
Lafa ette spent a year traveling through the country. 
Everywhere he was received with affection. The 
old soldiers wept when they saw him, and the times of the 
great war for independence were recalled at banquets and 
public occasions. 

The nation was glad to do honor to its famous guest, the 
friend of Washington and the steadfast defender of the 
liberties of the people. Congress voted him two hundred 
thousand dollars, and gave him twenty-four thousand acres of 
land. When he returned to France he was followed by the 
prayers and blessings of a grateful nation. 



Internal Improvements 303 

Questions. What trouble was Spain having with her South American 
colonies ? What action did Congress take ? What alarmed the govern- 
ments of Europe? What did they form? For what purpose? What 
did the allies begin to consider? What did they hope? What can you 
say of England ? 

What reservation did Russia make? What was forbidden? What 
did Monroe think of the situation ? What did Adams inform the Russian 
minister? What does the Monroe Doctrine mean? What can you say 
of it ? What were Jefferson's views on the subject ? What effect did the 
message have? 

When did Lafayette visit America ? What can you say of his recep- 
tion? What did Congress vote him? 

Written "Work. Write a statement of what you understand the 
Monroe Doctrine to be. 



LESSON 77 
INTERNAL IMPROVEMENTS 

In 1824 there v^ere four candidates for the Presidency : 
William H. Crawford of Georgia, Andrew Jackson of Ten- 
nessee, Henry Clay of Kentucky, and John Quincy Adams 
of Massachusetts. No one of the four receiving a majority 
of the electoral votes, it became the duty of the House of 
Representatives to elect a President. 

John Quincy Adams was chosen President. He was the 
son of John Adams, the second President. He was not a 
popular President, for he was an austere, cold, and reserved 
man, although an honest and capable one. During the four 
years that he was President the country was mainly concerned 
in internal improvements. 

The Erie Canal was completed in 1825. It connected the 
Hudson River at Albany with Lake Erie at Buffalo, and was 
eight years under construction. It was three hundred and 
sixty-three miles long, forty feet wide, and four feet deep. 



304 American History 

This depth was afterwards increased to seven feet. The ex- 
pense was borne by the State of New York. Gov- 
cana^"* ^^^^^ ^^ ^^^^ CHnton was the genius of the 

undertaking. When he started it, people 
laughed at the idea, called it " CUnton's Big Ditch," and 
foretold nothing but expense and failure. 

When it was finished Governor CHnton went in a canal 
boat drawn by four gray horses, from Lake Erie to Albany. 
He then went down the Hudson River to New York. The 
canal boat carried a bear, two eagles, two Indian boys, and 
other things typical of the original country. CHnton also 
carried with him a keg of water from Lake Erie which he 
poured into the sea, to show that the waters of the Great 
Lakes and the Atlantic Ocean were united. 

When the canal was opened a row of cannon, one every 
five miles, from Buffalo to New York, carried the news by 
firing in succession. 

The canal was a cheap highway between the East and the 
West. Freight charges dropped so low that no one thought 
of the overland wagon route. Freight dropped from $100 a 
ton by wagon to $10 a ton by the canal. New York became a 
great center of trade ; the wharves at Albany were crowded 
with boats, and villages along the canal soon grew into cities. 

At first toll was charged on all boats, but to-day the canal 
is free, and may be used as a means of transportation in 
exchanging the products of the eastern and western 
markets. 

Canals were not possible, however, when mountains stood 
in the way, and railroads were not yet known. To connect 
the Ohio River with the East, a great turnpike or road was 
built by the government from Cumberland on the Potomac 
River to Wheeling on the Ohio. 



Internal Improvements 305 

It was twenty years in building and cost six million dol- 
lars. It was eighty feet wide, hard and smooth. It con- 
nected with the great turnpike from Baltimore and with 
boats and barges on the Potomac, and became a favorite 
road with travelers going West. 

This road was afterwards extended by the States through 
which it passed until it nearly reached the Mississippi. It 
was known as the National Road. Travel over 

• , . o, 1 J The National 

it was immense. btagecoaches made regu- j^^^^ 
lar trips, and pack horses carried merchandise 
from town to town. Great canvas-covered wagons filled 
with household goods and farm utensils drew slowly along, up 
and down hill and over the mountains, carrying settlers and 
their famihes into the fertile valleys of the Ohio. In this 
way the nation rolled westward, opening new territory and 
filling the country with a prosperous and contented people. 

The greatest of all the improvements, however, was the 
locomotive and the railroad, which had already been invented 
in England by George Stephenson. He had The loco- 
shown the astonished and somewhat terrified ^o^ve 
people of that country that a train of wagons or carriages 
could be drawn on a track by a locomotive at a rate of 
fifteen miles an hour, and that the passengers could still live 
in spite of the speed. " Suppose a cow should get in the 
way, Mr. Stephenson," said some one. " It would be very 
bad for the cow," was the reply. 

In 1828 the aged Charles Carroll of Carrollton, then more 
then ninety years old, and the only surviving signer of the 
Declaration of Independence, turned the first spadeful 
of earth for the beginning of the Baltimore and Ohio Rail- 
road. Striking the spade into the ground, he said, " I con- 
sider this among the most important acts of my life, second 



306 American History- 

only to that of signing the Declaration of Independence, if 
second even to that." In 1830 the lirst locomotive started 
over the road, and on its trial trip had an exciting race with 
a stagecoach. 

In 1833 the road between Charleston and Hamburg in 
South Carohna was completed. It was one hundred and 

thirty-six miles long, and at the time was the most 
First railroad , ^ ., 1 • a • t -i 

important railroad m America. In ten years rail- 
roads had grown to three thousand miles in length. To-day 




An early railroad train in America 

there are over two hundred thousand miles of railroads in 
the United States. If put in a straight line they would 
reach nine times around the world. 

The first locomotives were rude affairs, very different 
from the splendid engines of the present day, that dash over 
steel rails at the rate of a mile a minute. The first coaches 
were crude carriages, compared with the Pullman cars of to-day 
that convey passengers across the continent with every com- 
fort and luxury. 

Henry Clay. Henry Clay was born in Virginia, but had moved to 
Kentucky under the stern conditions of its pioneer days. He early 
developed great powers of oratory, and as a political leader has rarely 
had his equal. For many years he was the dictator of the policies of 
the Whig party. So popular was he in his own State that it was said 
in jest, " When Henry Clay takes snuff, everybody in Kentucky sneezes." 

One of his opponents in Congress was John Randolph of Virginia. 



The Growth of the Country 307 

Randolph was an eccentric genius who said in debate anything he chose 
about anybody. When Clay went into the Cabinet of John Quincy 
Adams, Randolph denounced him for selling out his influence as a 
candidate for the Presidency in order to secure a Cabinet office. He 
called Adams a " Puritan " and Clay a " Blackleg." Clay could not 
endure this, and to Randolph's surprise challenged him to a duel. 

The parties met and fired once without effect. Clay fired again, and 
the bullet passed through Randolph's coat. Randolph fired into the air, 
threw away his pistol, and advanced, smiling, toward Clay. Clay gladly 
ran to meet him, and shook hands warmly. Randolph droUy remarked, 
" Mr. Clay, you owe me another coat." " I am very glad the debt is no 
greater," replied Clay. 

Questions. Who was elected President in 1824? What can you say 
of John Quincy Adams? In what was the country concerned during 
his administration? When was the Erie Canal completed? What did 
it connect? How long was it ? Who built it, and what was it first called ? 
Describe the opening of the canal. 

What effect did the canal have on freight rates? What did it do for 
New York and Albany? Describe the toll at first, and at present. 

What turnpike was built by the government? How was the road 
extended? What was it called? What invention had George Ste- 
phenson made? Describe his early experiments. What was the 
beginning of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad? Describe the road 
in South Carolina. What can you say of railroads to-day? 

Written Work. Describe the first trip on the Erie Canal. 



LESSON 78 

THE GROWTH OF THE COUNTRY 

Fifty years had gone by and the Repubhc had grown to 
ten miUion people. The thirteen States had become twenty- 
four. The territory had been extended to the 
Gulf of Mexico and across the continent to the «J°^^^^ ^^ 

nrty years 

Rocky Mountains. Everywhere could be seen 

the movement of great industries. Mills and factories were 



308 American History 

springing up, steamboats were running on the rivers and 
lakes, canals were uniting the waterways, and turnpikes were 
joining the cities and leading into the fertile areas of the West. 

New York had become a prosperous city of a hundred and 
sixty thousand inhabitants. Over a thousand sailing vessels 
entered the port every year, bringing all kinds of 
New*^York foreign wares and loading with the products of 
farm and factory. Five thousand immigrants 
came in yearly, mainly laborers and skilled workmen, some of 
whom remained in the city, while others traveled to frontier 
homes beyond the mountains. 

The city then had customs very different from those of the 
present day. Every citizen was required to sweep in front of 
his house and to the middle of the street twice a week. From 
December to April there was no street cleaning. Hogs were 
allowed to run loose provided they had rings in their noses. 

When a house caught fire the citizens formed a line to 
the nearest pump and passed water buckets up and down. 
For this purpose every householder was required to keep a 
water bucket, with his name on it, in his front hall, and this he 
seized as he ran to the fire. In case the fire was at night, 
the town watchman called out the name of the street on which 
the fire was burning, and every householder put a lighted 
candle in his window. 

Philadelphia was the next city in size. Its cus.toms were 

like those of New York. Every householder had to sweep 

in front of his house on Friday or pay a fine. 
Philadelphia ■^. ^ \ 

On Sundays the streets were chained off in front 

of the churches to prevent vehicles from passing and making 

a noise. The night watchman still cried the hours, trimmed 

the wicks of the lamps, and kept a sharp lookout for fires 

and late wanderers about the streets. 



The Growth of the Country 309 

New Orleans, Charleston, and Savannah were the principal 
cities in the South. They still had the appearance of large 
villages. Their wharves were crowded with vessels loading 
cotton for the Northern and foreign mills. In the interior 
the cultivation of cotton was growing rapidly. It was sold 
in England at from twenty to thirty cents a pound. 

The use of coal for fuel had been known to the world for 

a long time. As far back as 1791 a hunter in the mountains 

of Pennsylvania had found a black rock which 

111 1 1 • 1 I- ^oal for fuel 

would burn, and which was afterwards declared 

to be coal. Immense deposits were found, but it was hard 
to induce people to use coal, since wood was so abundant. 
The company that tried to sell it in New York had to fur- 
nish grates free to every purchaser of a ton of coal. 

The presence of anthracite, or hard coal, in Pennsylvania 
was also known, but it seemed impossible to get it to burn. 

A boat load was sold for use in a furnace in 
Pennsylvania, and the workmen tried for a whole 
night to ignite it, but it was so hard they gave up in disgust. 
Shutting the furnace doors, they went off and left it, but 
one of the men came back soon to get his coat and found 
the coal red hot. The secret of the draft had been acci- 
dentally discovered. 

At once hard coal became valuable for fuel and manufac- 
turing purposes. The iron industry also sprang into hfe. 
Towns grew up, furnaces and foundries were built, and mines 
were opened. The coal fields of Pennsylvania and else- 
where are to-day more valuable than all th2 gold mines of 
California. 

Along with coal came the use of gas for hghting houses 
and streets. As with everything new, the people looked 
with distrust upon the new method of Hghting. The gas 



310 American History 

smelled badly, seemed dangerous and uncertain, and interfered 
with the business of the candle makers and the 

Gas for -i , 1 

ii„t,tir.„ Oil dealers. 

lighting 

In Baltimore only three people could be found 
to use gas in 1820. It was adopted for street lighting by 
Boston in 1822 and by New York, in 1823. In 1825 Phila- 
delphia declared that gas was a nuisance, that a burglar could 
tear up the pipes and leave a whole city in darkness and 
danger. It was not until 1837 that that city agreed to allow 
its use. Nowadays every town has its gas works and we 
know it to be a convenient method of illumination. 

The Death of Adams and of Jefferson. It was July 4, 1826, the 

fiftieth anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. 
Two old men lay dying. They had been friends for a while, then they 
became rivals and foes, and then friends again. One was Thomas 
Jefferson, who wrote the Declaration of Independence; the other was 
John Adams, the second President. 

Both were conscious of the day. The bells were pealing and the 
people were celebrating the joyfiil anniversary. John Adams mur- 
mured, " Thomas Jefferson still survives," and soon afterward passed 
away. He was mistaken, however, for a short while before, Jefferson 
had died after saying, " This is the fourth of July." At the memorial 
services in honor of these men, Daniel Webster delivered his celebrated 
oration on " Adams and Jefferson." 

Questions. How large was the Republic at the end of fifty years? 
How many States were there ? How far had the territory been extended ? 
What evidences of prosperity were seen on every hand? 

How large was New York City? What can you say of sailing 
vessels? Immigrants? Street cleaning? Hogs? Fires? 

What can you say of Philadelphia? Of street cleaning there? Sun- 
day? Watchmen? Name some cities in the South. What can you 
say of cotton ? When and where was coal discovered in America ? How 
was the value of anthracite discovered? What can you say of gas? 

Written Work. Write an account of some of the early customs. 



The Movement Westward 3 1 1 

LESSON 79 
THE MOVEMENT WESTWARD 

The great movement to the West was still in full progress. 
The rich valleys of the Mississippi were attracting thousands 
of settlers, who set out overland on horseback or in covered 
wagons, carrying household goods and driving herds of cattle. 

Along the Ohio River steamboats were plying, carrying 
settlers to the small towns and supplying them with all 
kinds of household wares. Some steamboats were floating 
stores. When the horn sounded the people rushed to the 
wharf to buy dry-goods, tinware, hardware, guns, seed, and 
everything that a general store supplied. 

The Ohio became a great highway for travel. Broad- 
bottom boats, with pens for cattle, cabins and rooms for the 
family, and household goods for the settlement, Along the 
could be seen in an endless procession down the ^^^° 
river. When the settler reached the end of his journey, he 
sold his boat, bought a wagon, and moved on into the wilder- 
ness. As he traveled he drove his cattle before him, and at 
night stopped at the wretched inns or camped by the streams 
on the way. 

When he finally reached his future home he cut down a 
few trees, built a cabin, cleared his land, started his crops, 
and another frontier home was begun in the depths 
of the great West. Soon others would settle near ^^^.^^ 
by, and when a cluster of cabins had been formed, 
somebody would buy a section of land, cut it into town lots, 
and probably name the village after himself. Thus another 
town was added to the map, and took its place in the develop- 
ment of our country. 

The Mississippi River was also a great highway for trafific 



312 



American History 



and travel. By this time steamboats were plying between 
New Orleans and the towns up the river. Hundreds of 

barges brought the produce of the valleys to the 
Mi*s"s!sSppi P*^^^^ ^^^ shipping. They made their way slowly 

down the river, tying up at the wharves by night, 
while the boatmen called on their friends and passed the 
time singing, dancing, and playing cards. When the barge 
reached New Orleans, the cargo was sold and, probably, the 




Chicago in 1832 — a frontier settlement 



barge itself was broken up and sold for wood. The boat- 
men worked their way back on the steamboats or rode home 
through the country. 

The travel between towns was still by stagecoach over 

the turnpike roads, or partly by steamboat and partly by 

stage. New York was but two days from Boston, 

Stagecoaches -r., ., , , , • -m -i i i i • 

and eleven hours from Philadelphia. Philadelphia 

was but fifteen hours from Washington and five days from 



The Movement Westward 3 i 3 

Pittsburg. New York was but ten days from Charleston. 
This time was considered fast in those days, though now it 
would be thought intolerably slow. 

Post offices had grown rapidly. Postage was still 
charged according to the distance that a letter had to be 
carried. There were no postage stamps, but 

1 1 1 • • 1 ^ r r •f'OSt offices 

the cost was marked in mk across the face of 
the letter, to be paid by the person receiving it. Some 
letters cost only six cents, while others cost as much as 
twenty cents. Heavy letters cost three and four times that 
amount. A letter could not be carried faster than a hun- 
dred miles a day. Often a letter was weeks on the way. 

News traveled slowly. The stagecoach lumbered into a 
Western town bringing newspapers or letters two weeks or 
a month old, telling of events that now we should consider 
long past any interest, but which were then hailed with 
dehght by the eager crowd that gathered about the post 
office to hear the news from the far-off cities. 

Thus the country was spreading out from ocean to ocean, 
and from the lakes to the gulf ; people were pouring in by 
every coming ship ; towns were starting ; factories were 
building ; fields were blooming, and the growing nation was 
feeling the deep joy of a young and vigorous hfe. 

Questions. What great movement was in full progress? What 
could be seen along the Ohio ? Describe the service of some of the steam- 
boats. Describe the travel along the Ohio. Describe the settler's 
moving into the wilderness. How did he make his home ? 

What can you say of the Mississippi? Of the river trafhc? What 
was still the means of travel? Name the time between some of the 
towns. What can you say of post offices and postage? How was post- 
age charged? How was news received by the people of the interior? 

Written Work. Write a description of travel on the Mississippi. 
Write an account of news arriving in a Western town. 



PERIOD OF DIVERGENCE 



LESSON 80 

ANDREW JACKSON 

Up to this time all the Presidents had been scholarly 
statesmen from Virginia and Massachusetts. In 1828 a 
A new era new era in the history of the country opened 
Vith the election of Andrew Jackson of Tennessee as Presi- 
dent, a sturdy old In- 
dian fighter and a man 
of the people. 

He was born in South 
Carohna of poor par- 
ents, who could give 
him but a scant educa- 
tion. When he was 
fourteen years old he 
joined the Revolution- 
ary army. He and his 
brother were captured 
by the British and 
were nearly starved to 
death. 

One day they were 
ordered to clean the 
boots of one of the 
officers. Young Jackson replied, "I am a prisoner of 
war and not your servant. Clean them yourself." The 

314 




Young Jackson defies a British officer 



Andrew Jackson 3 i 5 

enraged officer struck at the boy with his sword and would 
have killed him if he had not caught the weapon on his 
arm. For a similar offense his brother received jackson as 
a blow on the head from which he died. ^ ^°y 
Jackson remembered this treatment in his battles against 
the British in the War of 1812. 

When he was twenty-one years old he moved to Nash- 
ville, Tennessee, then a frontier town in a thinly settled 
region, and began the practice of law. When Tennessee be- 
came a State Jackson was elected to Congress, first as a 
member of the House of Representatives, and afterwards as 
Senator. He resigned these positions because he did not like 
politics. 

During the war of 1812 he did splendid service as a soldier 
against the Indians in the South, and at the battle of New 
Orleans. His wonderful endurance of hardship gained for 
him the name of " Old Hickory." 

He was a soldier of great courage and spirit. At one 
time during the war with the Creek Indians, with a wounded 
arm in a sling, he rode up to a body of mutinous 
soldiers and, drawing his pistol, said, " By the J^^.^^^ ^^ * 
Eternal, I will shoot the first man that disobeys 
me." The soldiers knew that he would do what he said, and 
there was no further trouble. At another time, he invaded 
the territory of Florida with his soldiers, contrary to orders, 
and came near being court-martialed for disobedience. His 
conduct was often arbitrary, if not lawless, and at one time 
he was fined a thousand dollars by a judge for contempt of 
court. 

In appearance, Jackson was tall, erect, and spare, with 
dark blue eyes and heavy eyebrows. His temper was fiery 
and quickly aroused when he was opposed. He loved his 



3i6 



American History 




Andrew Jackson 



His character 



friends, hated his enemies, and was afraid of nothing. He 
was obstinate and could not bear opposition to his will. 
When he became President and appointed men 
as the heads of various departments of the gov- 
ernment, thus making what is known as the Cabinet, he 
rarely asked their advice. They had to be content to follow 
his orders. 

Although Jackson was hard-headed and hot-tempered, 



Andrew Jackson 317 

yet he had been a fearless soldier, and was an upright, con- 
scientious patriot of strong convictions. He was the idol 
of the army, and the kind of man to arouse great 
devotion in political friends. He was now past 
sixty years of age and wanted to spend his old age in peace.- 
But a new party, known as the Democratic party, was rising 
into importance. It was the successor of the old Republican 
party of the times of Jefferson. The opposing party was 
known as the Whig party. Its great leaders were Henry Clay 
and Daniel Webster. 

In 1828 Jackson was the man whom the Democratic party 
chose as their candidate for the presidency, and the 
announcement of his name was received everywhere with 
enthusiasm. When approached on the subject he stoutly 
declared that he was too old, and unfit for pubHc life. He 
consented, however, after persuasion, and a long and bitter 
campaign began in his interest. 

Jackson had been put forward as a candidate for President 
in 1824, when John Quincy Adams was elected. During 
the time that Adams was President, Jackson's friends were 
busy planning for his election. Adams did practically nothing 
to secure his own reelection. When the time came Jackson 
was elected by a large majority. What kind of President he 
was we shall see in our next lesson. 

Stories of Andrew Jackson. Jackson was a man of quick temper. 
When he was a young man he was at a public dinner, where some of his 
friends became involved in a quarrel at the other end of the table from 
where Jackson was sitting. He immediately sprang upon the table, and 
strode along, scattering the dishes and glasses as he went. Thrusting his 
hand behind him he clicked his snuffbox. Thinking he was about to draw 
a pistol the guests scattered in haste, crying. " Don't shoot ! Don't shoot !" 

Once when Jackson was driving along the road he was stopped by some 
drunken wagoners, who told him to dance or they would cowhide him. 



3 1 8 American History 

Jackson coolly said, " I cannot dance in these heavy boots. Let me get 
my slippers out of the bag." To this the wagoners agreed, but instead 
of slippers he drew forth two big pistols. Pointing them at the wagoners 
he said, " Now dance yourselves, or I will fill you full of bullets." The 
wagoners danced the best they could, while Jackson roared with laughter. 

Questions. Who became President in 1828? What was his early 
life? Describe his encounter with a British officer. When did he 
begin the practice of law ? To what ofhces was he elected ? Why did 
he resign? What name did the soldiers give him? Tell the incident 
showing his courage. 

For what did he come near being court-martialed? Describe his 
appearance ; his temper ; his devotion to his friends ; his treatment of his 
Cabinet. What party was now rising in importance? What was the 
opposing party called ? What did Jackson say when approached on the 
subject of being a candidate ? 

Written Work. Write any story you think is characteristic of 
Jackson. 



LESSON 81 
THE POLICY OF ANDREW JACKSON 

The day that Jackson was inaugurated, Washington was 
packed with people. They had come from far and near to 
witness the ceremony, to parade the streets, and to eat cake 
and drink punch at the White House. The crowd trampled 
over the rich carpets, stood on the plush-covered furniture, 
broke a handsome chandeher, and cheered lustily for the 
new President. 

The people expected to see Jackson reward his friends 

and punish his enemies. They were not disap- 

System°'^ pointed. In a short time Jackson had dismissed 

two thousand men from public office and given 

their places and salaries to his friends. Before this all the 



The Policy of Andrew Jackson 3 1 9 

Presidents together had not removed more than a hundred 
men, and Jefferson had dismissed the most of these. The 
plan of rewarding one's supporters by giving them oflfice 
became known as the " Spoils System," from a remark made 
at the time that " to the victors belong the spoils." 

Jackson was strongly opposed to the United States 
Bank. 

This institution had been founded by Alexander Hamilton, 
and had been reestablished in 1816 for twenty years. It 
received the deposit of the public money, and in return was 
expected to procure loans for the government and to provide 
a sound and stable currency for the country. 

Jackson attacked the bank as a monopoly, and said it had 
failed in its purpose. He maintained that the 
bank was shown too much favor and had too the''bank° 
much power, which it could use for political 
purposes. He firmly believed that the bank had used its 
power against him in his campaign for President. 

The bank apphed for a renewal of its charter, which was 
to expire in 1836. A bill was passed by Congress in 1832, 
granting the renewal. Jackson promptly vetoed the bill. 
He sent in a message declaring the bank was unnecessary, 
expensive, and an un-American monopoly. He insisted that 
it was hostile to the interest of the people and possibly 
dangerous to the government. Congress was not able to 
pass the bill over the President's veto. 

Jackson now caused ten milhon dollars of the public 
money to be at once removed from the bank. The charter 
expired and the bank began business again as a 
State bank under the laws of Pennsylvania, thg^de^sits 
The controversy over the removal of the money 
deposited in the bank was very bitter, and was an issue in 



320 American History 

the election of Jackson for a second term, but he was sus- 
tained by the people. 

Let us see what followed. The government money to 

the amount of forty million dollars was now deposited in 

State banks favored by the President. These 

Pet t)9.iiks 

banks were known as " pet banks." They found 
themselves possessed of abundant money which they could 
lend to favored customers. 

Worthless banks came promptly into existence. Quantities 
of paper money were issued. There seemed to be plenty of 
money to borrow, and everybody began to buy and sell with 
reckless extravagance. It was an era of wild speculation. 
People bought land they had never seen. Any kind of scheme 
was popular. Prices were high and trading was furious. 

All at once the government became uneasy about its gold 
and silver deposited in the State banks. It called in its 
deposits, and refused to take paper money in payment for 
wild lands. Then followed an excited scramble for gold and 
silver. Money became scarce, people became suspicious, and 
prices fell rapidly. 

A terrible panic swept over the country. Banks and busi- 
ness houses failed by the hundreds. In two months business 
houses of New York and New Orleans failed for one hun- 
dred and fifty million dollars. Mills shut down, foundries 
stopped, workmen were out of employment, and general 
panic and distress prevailed. 

This is known as the panic of 1837. It did not occur 

until Martin Van Buren of New York had become President. 

but it was the result of the financial policy 

Panic of 1837 . , ^ , -r 1 r .1 

started by Jackson. It took many years for the 
country to recover. At last the government money was 
denied to the State banks, and subtreasuries were estabhshed 



The Policy of Andrew Jackson 321 

in different parts of the country. Business gradually re- 
covered, and the industries resumed their normal condition. 
Jackson was called on to settle the Indian question in 




Osceola defies the government 

Florida and Georgia. The Seminoles in Florida had agreed 

to move West, but Osceola, one of their chiefs, 

Osceola 
rejected the treaty and refused to move. The 

mihtary officers sent for him to show him the treaty, but 

when he came into the room where they were he drew his 

knife and drove it through the paper and into the top of the 

table. He was so defiant that he was put in prison. 

On being released, he and his followers began plundering 

and burning the villages and farms, and escaped pursuit by 

hiding in the swamps. Osceola, who himself had broken 



322 American History 

faith, was captured while under a flag of truce and confined 
in Fort Moultrie. It took several years to subdue his fol- 
lowers and end the war. 

Georgia was insisting that the Indians be removed from 
the northern part of that State. A treaty had been 
made with the government in 1802, that this should be done 
as soon as practicable. The government delayed, Georgia 
insisted, and at last became impatient 

When John Quincy Adams was President, he and Governor 

Troup of Georgia had a bitter controversy over the matter. 

Troup threatened to take possession of the 

The Georgia j^^^-^j^ i^^^^ anyhow. Adams threatened to 

mdians -^ 

send a military force to prevent him. Troup 
started to call on the miUtia to resist " the invasion," and 
wrote a bold letter of defiance to the President. 

The conflict was fortunately avoided. When Jackson 
became President he agreed with Georgia that the Indians 
should be removed, and refused to Hsten to any of their com- 
plaints. Plans were agreed upon to send the Indians to an 
Indian territory west of the Mississippi. This was peaceably 
done in 1838. and the Indians were settled in Indian Territory, 
which afterwards was included in the State of Oklahoma. 

Questions. WTiat can you say of Jackson's inauguration? \Miat did 
the people expect to see? WTiat did Jackson do? WTiat is the " Spoils 
System"? How did the name originate? To what institution was 
Jackson strongly opposed? What can you say of the United States 
Bank ? WTiy did he attack the bank ? What did he maintain or beUeve ? 
Why did he veto the renewal of the bank charter ? 

What did Jackson cause to be done ? What became of the govern- 
ment money? What brought on the panic of 1837? 

What trouble arose with Osceola? How was it settled? How did 
Jackson satisfy the demands of Georgia about the removal of the Indians ? 

Written Work. Write your opinion of the " Spoils System." 



Tariff Disputes 323 

LESSON 82 

TARIFF DISPUTES AND THE HAYNE-WEBSTER 
DEBATE 

We have already seen that there are two purposes in a 
tariff on foreign goods. One is to raise money for the ex- 
penses of the government, and is called a tariff for revenue. 
The other is to increase the price of articles of foreign manu- 
facture, and is called a tariff for protection. We are now to 
see how two great sections of our country had a bitter dispute 
over the protective tariff. 

By this time the Northern States were engaged mainly in 
manufacturing. Four fifths of all the mills and factories of 
the country were north of the Potomac. There The North 
were woolen mills in Vermont, cotton mills in wanted pro- 
Massachusetts, iron foundries in Pennsylvania, 
besides tanneries, carpet mills, glass works, and a hundred 
other kinds of manufacturing industries. 

Nearly two hundred million dollars were invested, and two 
million people employed in manufacturing in the Northern 
States. Naturally these States wanted a protective tariff, for 
that meant high prices, and they had much to sell. 

There was but one industry in the South, and that was 
the raising of cotton. These States raised iiie South 
nearly a million bales of cotton, worth about wanted a low 
fifty million dollars, one third of which was sold 
to the New England mills, and two thirds were sold abroad. 

The Southern planters bought plows, wagons, woolen 
cloth, shoes, hats, harness, and indeed everything they 
needed from New England or abroad. Naturally the South- 
ern States wanted a revenue tariff only, for that meant low 
prices, and they had much to buy. Thus began the old 



324 American History 

quarrel of the one who wanted to sell high and the one who 
wanted to buy cheap. 

A number of protective tariff acts had been passed from 
time to time by Congress, but the one of 1828 was the 
cause of the greatest irritation and dispute. It met with 
intense opposition in the South, for it laid such high duties 
on the things the people had to buy. Those States declared 
that they would be reduced to poverty. It was taking money 
out of the pockets of the South and putting it into the 
purses of the North. The people of South CaroUna even 
proposed not to obey the law ; that is, to nullify it so far as 
that State was concerned. 

On the other hand, the Northern manufacturers replied 
that without the tariff they could not go on with their work, 
that their mills would have to stop and their workmen be dis- 
missed. Thus the two sections stood at complete variance 
on the subject of a protective tariff. 

In 1830 occurred the great debate in the United States 
Senate between Daniel Webster, Senator from Massachu- 
setts, and Robert Y. Hayne, Senator from 
argument South Carolina. It was a memorable occasion. 
Hayne argued with great power that Congress 
had no right under the Constitution to pass a tariff act that 
destroyed one section of the country and built up another ; 
that, if such a course was insisted upon, any State thus 
injured had a right to refuse to pay the duties, and might 
nuUify the laws of the United States so far as that State was 
concerned ; that the New England States were pursuing the 
policy of a protective tariff to the detriment of the Southern 
States. 

Daniel Webster replied to Hayne. The occasion de- 
manded all his great powers. He had had but one night 



Tariff Disputes 



325 




Daniel, Webster 



for preparation, but he entered the debate as one inspired for 
a great message. He was in the prime of his Hfe, forty-eight 
years of age ; his hair was black, his forehead Webster's 
high, his eyes dark and sunk under shaggy brows, reply to 
His frame was massive, and his voice deep and ^^°® 
vibrant, Kke the rolhng of a drum. He had said, on the morn- 
ing of the debate, " The people shall learn this day, before 
the sun goes down, what I understand the Constitution to be." 



326 American History 

When he rose to speak the galleries were crowded with 
people. The senators were in their places and realized that 
a crisis was at hand in the affairs of the nation. Webster 
spoke for four hours, delivering one of the greatest speeches 
of his hfe. 

He argued that one State alone could not be the judge of 
the wisdom of the general laws without bringing ruin to 
the country ; that no State could nuUify the operation of the 
laws in its borders without being guilty of disloyalty to the 
Union ; that the Union was greater than any State ; and that 
the Constitution was " a government made for the people, 
made by the people, and answerable to the people." 
From that time Webster has ranked as one of the greatest 
orators America has ever produced. 

Collateral Reading. Hayne's " Speech on the Foote Resolutions " ; 
Webster's " Reply to Hayne." 

The Closing Words of Webster's Speech in Reply to Hayne. I have 
not allowed myself, sir, to look beyond the Union, to see what might lie 
hidden in the dark recess behind. I have not coolly weighed the chances 
of preserving Uberty when the bonds that unite us together shall be broken 
asunder. I have not accustomed myself to hang over the precipice of 
disunion, to see whether, with my short sight, I can fathom the depth of 
the abyss below ; nor could I regard him as a safe counselor in the afifairs 
of this government, whose thoughts should be mainly bent on considering, 
not how the Union should be best preserved, but how tolerable might be 
the condition of the people when it shall be broken up and destroyed. 
While the Union lasts, we have high, exciting, gratifying prospects spread 
out before us, for us and our children. Beyond that I seek not to pene- 
trate the veil. God grant that in my day, at least, that curtain may not 
rise ! God grant that on my vision never may be opened what lies behind ! 
When my eyes shall be turned to behold for the last time the sun in heaven, 
may I not see him shining on the broken and dishonored fragments of a 
once glorious Union ; on states dissevered, discordant, belligerent ; on a 
land rent with civil feuds, or drenched, it may be, in fraternal blood ! Let 



A Crisis with South Carolina 327 

their last feeble and lingering glance rather behold the gorgeous ensign of 
the republic, now known and honored throughout the earth, still full 
high advanced, its arms and trophies streaming in their original luster, 
not a stripe erased or polluted, nor a single star obscured, bearing for its 
motto no such miserable* interrogatory as " What is all this worth? " nor 
those other words of delusion and folly, " Liberty first and Union after- 
wards " ; but everywhere, spread all over in characters of living light, 
blazing on all its ample folds, as they float over the sea and over the land, 
and in every wind under the whole heavens, that other sentiment, dear to 
every true American heart — Liberty and Union, now and forever, one 
and inseparable ! 

Questions. What bitter dispute now arose? What can you say 
of mills in the North? How much money was invested? What did 
these States desire? What industry occupied the Southern States? 
How much cotton was raised? What was its value? What did the 
Southern planters buy ? What kind of tariff did they desire ? 

What can you say of the tariff of 1828? What did the South de- 
clare? What did the North reply? What can you say of Hayne's 
argument ? What argument did Wesbter use in reply ? 

Written Work. Write an account of the great debate. 



LESSON 83 
A CRISIS WITH SOUTH CAROLINA 

It had been known that President Jackson was not in 
favor of the protective tariff. The South had supported 
him in his election, and was now anxious to know his position 
on the subject of nullification. It did not have long to 
wait. 

The President was invited to a dinner given to celebrate 
the birthday of Jefferson. Many toasts had been offered 



328 American History 

in which the power of a State to declare the laws of 
Congress null and void in its limits, had been hinted at. 

The President was called upon to offer a toast, 
toast^°° ^ ^^^ everybody was eager to know what were his 

sentiments. He slowly rose and offered the 
toast, "Our Federal Union; it must be preserved." This 
showed his position and ended the hope of the nullifiers. 

A new Tariff Act was passed by Congress in 1832. It 
was as unsatisfactory to the Southern States as the others 
had been. John C. Calhoun, the great statesman of South 
Carolina, who was then Vice President, was strongly opposed 
to it. He wrote a letter to the people of South Carolina 
advising them not to submit to the tariff, as it was in his 
opinion unjust and unconstitutional. 

South Carolina followed the advice of her great son. A 
convention met in November, 1832, and passed an ordinance 

declaring the tariff null and void in South Caro- 

Nullification . 10 

Ima, and threatenmg that that State would leave 
the Union if any attempt was made to enforce the revenue 
laws. This was an Ordinance of Nullification. 

When President Jackson heard of it he acted with his 
usual vigor and promptness. He sent word to the collector 
at Charleston to collect all duties, even if he had to employ 
force. He ordered General Scott to go to that port and 
see that the laws were obeyed. He threatened to hang the 
first man that shed a drop of blood in opposition to the laws 
of Congress. 

He issued a proclamation to the people of South Carolina 
in which he said, " The laws of the United States must be 
executed. I have no discretionary powers on the subject 
— my duty is pronounced in the Constitution. Those who 
told you that you might peacefully prevent their execution 



A Crisis with South CaroUna 



329 




5;>:,ir<«;%ssssa»S5S2!*awig^s5ffi5aa?<?5^==^is«!S«s^^ -r/ ' 



John C. Calhoun 



have deceived you. Their object is disunion, and disunion by 
armed force is treason." 

Hayne was made Governor of South CaroHna. Calhoun 
resigned the vice presidency and was elected to the Senate. 
Here the angry debate was continued under his 
great leadership, while South Carolina awaited ^jjj 
the outcome. Jackson applied to Congress for 
power to carry out the laws, and a bill known as the Force 



330 American History 

Bill was passed, giving the President power to enforce the 
revenue laws by arms. A conflict with South CaroHna was 
close at hand. 

Henry Clay now entered the debate, with a compromise 
measure. His eloquence had, at other times, brought peace 
to contending parties. He now used all his 
c m ^romise powers of persuasion to avoid the issue that was 
threatening. He saw that the government and 
South Carolina were resolved upon the course each had 
taken and that neither would yield. Therefore, he proposed 
a gradual reduction of the tariff, a httle every year, so as 
not to bear hard upon the Northern manufacturer and yet 
meet the views of the Southern States. After a long debate 
this measure was agreed upon. 

South Carolina accepted the compromise, repealed the 
ordinance of nullification, and the war clouds passed away. 
When Clay, who had been, and still was, a candidate for 
President, was told that his compromise measures would 
defeat his ambitions, he made the noble reply, " I would 
rather be right than be President." 

Calhoun. Calhoun was one of the famous men of the time. With 
Webster and Clay he formed " the great trio," who were the giants in the 
debates over these burning questions. He was the idol of the people of 
the South, who found in him their strong champion of States' Rights, and 
the defender of all their institutions. Webster, who opposed him in the 
debates, said of him, " Nothing groveling, low, or meanly selfish came 
near his head or his heart." 

Calhoun and Jackson had been friends for many years. Calhoun was 
in the Cabinet of President Monroe at the time Jackson made his raid 
into Florida without the authority of the government, and incautiously 
made the remark, " Jackson should be court-martialed for that ofTense.' 

Some one, years afterwards, told Jackson, and he became Calhoun's 
bitter enemy. He never forgave him for the remark, and stood ever in 
the way of Calhoun's ambition to become President. 



Van Buren, Harrison, and Tyler 331 

Questions. How did Jackson show to the nuUifiers his position on 
nullification ? What was the Tariff Act of 1832 ? What did Calhoun ad- 
vise the people of South CaroHna? What ordinance was passed in 1832 ? 

What did Jackson do when he heard of it? How did he proceed to 
execute the laws? What did he threaten? What proclamation did he 
issue ? 

How did the debate continue? Who entered the debate, and with 
what compromise ? What did Clay say about the defeat of his ambition ? 

Written Work. Write your opinion of the action of South Carolina, 
whether right or wrong. 



LESSON 84 
VAN BUREN, HARRISON, AND TYLER 

At this time the two political parties were the Democrats 
and the Whigs. Andrew Jackson was the leader of the Demo- 
cratic party, and at his suggestion Martin Van 
Buren of New York was nominated in 1836 for prggiden^t'^ 
President. He was easily elected over the Whig 
candidate. Jackson retired from public life, leaving Van 
Buren to bear the burden of the great panic of 1837. 

At the end of Van Buren's term, the Whigs, in 1840, 
nominated Wilham Henry Harrison to oppose him for 
reelection. Harrison was an old soldier of the 
War of 181 2, and had won fame at the battle of and^Tyier°t^oo 
Tippecanoe. He was now living on his farm in 
Ohio, a plain man of the people. John Tyler of Virginia was 
running on the same ticket for Vice President. The cam- 
paign cry of the Whigs became " Tippecanoe and Tyler too." 

It was an exciting contest. Van Buren was called an 
aristocrat, who lived in a fine house and rode in a carriage. 
He was held responsible for the panic, though he was not 
really so. Harrison was a plain farmer who had been reared 



332 American History 

in a log cabin. His opponents said all he wanted was a 
barrel of hard cider to make him happy. His friends at 
once adopted the log cabin and the cider barrel as emblems 
in their campaign. 

Mass meetings were held, speeches were made, and long 

parades formed in which were log cabins on wheels and 

wagons carrying barrels of cider. It was called 

c^^^^lg" ^^^ " H^^^ ^^^^^ Campaign." At the end Har- 
rison and Tyler were overwhelmingly elected. 
It was the first great victory of the Whigs. 

One month after Harrison was inaugurated, the old sol- 
dier, worn out by work, and ill from exposure, died of 
pneumonia. This was a great blow to the Whig party. 
Tyler, the Vice President, who now became President, was 
more of a Democrat than a Whig, and most of his adminis- 
tration was spent in quarrels with his party and opposition 
to their measures. 

The great event of Tyler's administration was the annex- 
ation of Texas to the United States. In order to explain 
how this came about, we must tell the story of how Texas 
became an independent repubhc. 

Texas was a part of Mexico. Its fertile fields attracted 

thousands of Americans, who moved in, some bringing slaves, 

and all bringing ideas of liberty and self-govem- 

Texas revolts , . , • i r i i 

ment. Mexico became jealous of these settlers, 
who soon outnumbered the Mexicans themselves, and forbade 
Americans coming into Texas. Finally in 1836 Texas re- 
volted, threw off the yoke of Mexico, and declared herself 
a free republic. 

A heroic struggle for Hberty began. Santa Anna, the 
Mexican president, marched against the Texans. He was a 
merciless soldier. At Goliad he captured a body of Texans, 



Van Buren, Harrison, and Tyler 333 

marched them out of the fort, and cruelly had them shot to 
death. 

The greatest of all his atrocities was at the Alamo (Ah- 
lah'mo), a fort in San Antonio. Here, provided with scant 
ammunition and a few bushels of corn, a small The Alamo 
number of Texans were fortified. Santa Anna March 6, 1836 
surrounded the fort with a large army and called on the 
Texans to surrender. Their answer was a cannon shot from 




The Alamo, a fort in San Antonio where Santa Anna murdered the Texans 



the walls. A bombardment began that almost destroyed the 
fort. 

At the end of a few days the Texans were worn out by 
fasting and fighting. The Mexicans clambered over the walls 
into the fort, the Texans meeting them with clubbed guns 
and hunting knives. The brave defenders were soon over- 



334 American History 

come, and every man was put to death. The Mexicans spared 
but six people, — three women, two children, and a negro boy. 

The Texans arose as one man to avenge this butchery. 
Sam Houston was made commander-in-chief of the army. 
Santa Anna was pursued and overtaken at San Jacinto, 
where a battle was fought. The Texans went into the fight, 
crying, " Remember the Alamo." Over six hundred Mexicans 
were killed, three hundred were wounded, and the rest fled. 
Of the Texans, eight were killed and twenty-three wounded. 

Santa Anna was captured the day after the battle, and 
forced to sign a treaty agreeing to withdraw his troops, stop 
the war, and use his influence to secure the independence 
of Texas. This practically ended the war, though Mexico 
did not give up her claim to Texas. All this occurred during 
the time that Andrew Jackson was President. 

Texas now organized as a free republic, and applied for 
annexation to the United States. At the time there were 
Texas ad- twenty-six States ; thirteen of them were slave 
mitted to States, and thirteen were free States. The free 
t e mon States opposed the admission of Texas because 
it extended the number of the slave States. A controversy 
arose that lasted eight years. At length in 1845, Texas was 
annexed to the United States, and was admitted as one of the 
States of the Union. 

Collateral Reading. " The Defense of the Alamo," by Joaquin 
Miller. 

Texas. Texas was then and still is the largest State in the Union. 
Daniel Webster said in jest that it was so big a bird could not fly over it 
in a week. It is five times as large as England, and is larger than all the 
New England States combined. From north to south it is longer than 
from Florida to the Great Lakes ; from east to west it is wider than from 
the Atlantic Ocean to the Mississippi River. It was an imperial domain 



Improvements and Inventions 335 

that came to us with but Httle cost compared to its great value, though 
Mexico did not part with it without war. 

Dorr's Rebellion. In 1841 a number of the people of Rhode Island 
became dissatisfied with their State government. They complained 
that it allowed only property owners to vote. A new constitution was 
adopted, and Thomas W. Dorr was chosen governor. The old gov- 
ernor, Samuel King, refused to allow Dorr to take possession of the cap- 
itol building, saying that the new constitution had been adopted by those 
who could not vote. The soldiers were called out by King. Dorr saw 
the troops coming, and turning to his followers, said, " Stand firm to 
the very last. If you retreat, do so with your face to the foe ; but as I am 
a httle lame, I believe I will retreat now." Dorr fled in confusion, and the 
rebellion ended. A constitution, however, was afterwards adopted. 

Questions. Who became President in 1836? Who was nominated 
for President by the Whigs in 1840? What can you say of Harrison? 
What was the campaign cry of the Whigs ? Describe the campaign that 
followed. What was the campaign caUed ? Who was elected ? 

What happened to Harrison? What can you say of Tyler? What 
was the great event of his administration? When did Texas declare her- 
self a free repubhc ? What happened at Gohad ? At the Alamo ? 

Describe the battle of San Jacinto. What did Santa Anna agree to do ? 
For what did Texas apply? What opposition arose and why? When 
was Texas admitted? 

Written Work. Write a short account of how Texas came into the 
Union. 



LESSON 85 
IMPROVEMENTS AND INVENTIONS 

There was a wonderful increase of invention and improve- 
ment in machinery about this time. In 1838 steamships 
began to ply regularly across the Atlantic. Emi- 
grants from European countries were pouring ^^°^^j. ° * ^ 
into America at the rate of two hundred thou- 
sand a year. Railroads were building to such an extent that 



336 American History 

the number of miles was doubled every five years for twenty 
years. 

In 1839 a young man started the express business by car- 
rying packages between New York and Boston. Two carpet 
bags were sufficient at first to hold all the parcels. 

Inventions -r n i i i i 

In 1847 postage stamps were adopted by the 
government to facilitate the delivery of mails. Along with 
these came the invention of the sewing machine ; the dis- 
covery of a process for vulcanizing rubber for overcoats and 
overshoes ; the use of chloroform to make surgical operations 
painless to the patient ; and the manufacture of paper, pen- 
knives, platform scales, cooking stoves, coal stoves, friction 
matches, and many other articles for facilitating business and 
increasing the comforts of home. 

Among the most useful of these inventions was the har- 
vesting machine, which was made in 1832 by Cyrus Hall 
McCormick, a native of Virginia. McCormick 
^'hin ^^^ worked on his harvester for many years before 
it was a success. In 1851 he exhibited it at the 
World's Fair in London. The newspapers made great sport 
of it, saying it looked like a combination of a circus chariot, 
a wheelbarrow, and a flying machine. 

When McCormick took his harvester into the fields and 
the people saw it move through the grain, doing the work of 
a dozen men, the newspapers changed their comment, and 
declared it was worth to the farmers of England the cost of 
the whole fair. 

Along with the harvester came the threshing machine for 
separating the chaff from the kernel. Before that time grain 
had to be cut with cradles and separated by flails. These 
inventions, together with the railroads, have done for the 
West what the cotton gin did for the South. They estab- 



Improvements and Inventions 337 

lished a great industry for the people, and made the western 
country one of the granaries of the world. 

Among the notable inventions of the time, and among the 
greatest of all, was the electric telegraph. It was invented 
by Samuel F. B. Morse of Massachusetts. Morse 
was a painter as well as a scientist, and had telegraph 
traveled extensively abroad. As he was return- 
ing to America, he and some friends on the ship were 
discussing the subject of electricity, and how a current gave 
out a spark over a great length of wire. 

It occurred to Morse that the sparks made by the current 
could be utihzed to convey messages. On the voyage he 
worked out his scheme of the magnetic electric telegraph, 
and wrote an alphabet of dots and dashes that has ever since 
been known as " the Morse alphabet." 

After many years of experimenting he perfected his inven- 
tion. He then applied to Congress for an appropriation to 
build a telegraph line between Washington and Baltimore. 
The application seemed hopeless for a long time, but at 
the last hours of the session a bill was passed appropriating 
$30,000. 

With this Morse began to build his hne. At first he 
undertook to lay the wires underground in pipes, but he 
soon changed this and placed them on poles, 
using glass insulators. In 1844 about twenty- tekgraph 
two miles were completed from Washington. The 
national Whig Convention for nominating a candidate for 
the presidency was in session in Baltimore. The Conven- 
tion had nominated Henry Clay of Kentucky, and the train 
started to Washington with the news. 

When the train reached the telegraph line the news was 
at once sent into Washington over the wires. It was the 



338 American History 

first news ever sent by telegraph, and greatly astonished 
and delighted the people. When the line was entirely com- 
pleted, the first nessage was a quotation from the Bible : 
" What hath God wrought." 

The first news over the completed line was the message 
announcing the nomination of James K. Polk as candidate of 
the Democratic party for the presidency. 

The Growth of the Telegraph. Morse lived to see thousands of 
miles of electric telegraph in operation. Great cables have since been laid 
under the oceans connecting the continents, so that a message can be sent 
around the world in an incredibly short time. In the United States alone 
there are probably a million miles of telegraph wire. 

Questions. What can you say of emigrants from Europe? Of the 
railroads? When and how was the express business started? When 
were postage stamps first used? What other articles came into use? 

Who invented the harvesting machine? Describe its reception in 
London. What other invention has done so much for the West ? What 
can you say of Morse? How did he happen to invent the electric tele- 
graph ? What appropriation did he receive ? What line was first built ? 
What was the first news ? What was the first message ? What can you 
say of the telegraph and cable lines at the present day? 

Written Work. Which of these inventions do you consider the most 
valuable, and why? 



LESSON 86 

ACQUISITION OF TERRITORY. — WAR WITH 
MEXICO 

James K. Polk of Tennessee was elected President in 1844 
on the platform of the annexation of Texas. Two great 
events occupied his administration, each of which resulted 
in adding a vast tract to the territory of the United States. 

The first event was the acquisition of the territory of 



War with Mexico 339 

Oregon by treaty with Great Britain. This territory, ex- 
tending along the Pacific Ocean from the hne 
of Mexico, which is now the hne of Cahfornia, territory^"" 
up to Alaska, or the 54° 40' parallel, was oc- 
cupied jointly by settlers from England and the United 
States. We wanted it all, but England would not con- 
sent to part with so much territory. The popular cry 
in America for a while was " Fifty-four — forty — or 
fight." 

In 1846 a treaty was made dividing Oregon between the 
two nations. The United States took the territory up to the 
49th degree of latitude, a vast tract of over a 
quarter of a million square miles. England took Oregon 
the remainder. This treaty fixed the present 
boundary lines between the British possessions and the 
United States. 

The second event was the war with Mexico. That country 
had never acknowledged the independence of Texas, though 
no armies had been sent against the Republic since the battle 
of San Jacinto. 

A dispute arose between Mexico and the State of Texas 
regarding the boundary line. Texas claimed to the Rio 
Grande (Re'o Gran'da) River. Mexico had never surrendered 
its claim to all the territory of Texas. General Zachary 
Taylor was sent into Texas with a body of United States 
troops to support the cause of Texas. 

The Mexicans protested against this apparent invasion 
of the territory they claimed. A body of Mexicans crossed 
the Rio Grande and killed some American sol- 
diers. President Polk at once sent a message to jyiexko 
Congress in which he stated, " War exists by the 
act of Mexico herself. Mexico has invaded our territory 



340 



American History 



and shed American blood upon American soil." Congress 
in 1846 declared that war existed " by the act of Mexico." 

The war with Mexico lasted nearly two years. During 

that time General Taylor held the line of the Rio Grande. 

The Mexicans were badly defeated by him in 

Buena Vista ^ , r^ -, 

every engagement. General laylor then ad- 
vanced to Buena Vista (Bwa'na Ves'ta). Santa Anna, the 

Mexican general, had 
marched against Tay- 
lor with twenty thou- 
sand men. Taylor 
had only six thou- 
sand, but was well 
fortified in the moun- 
tain passes. Santa 
Anna sent a demand 
for surrender. " Gen- 
eral Taylor never sur- 
renders," was the brief 
reply. 

In the battle which 
followed, the Ameri- 
can artillery did great 
damage to the Mexi- 
can troops. General 
Taylor, who was 
called " Old Rough 
and Ready " by his 
men, was seen every- 
where encouraging his 
soldiers. Riding up to Captain Braxton Bragg, he said, 
" A little more grape, Captain Bragg, and the day is ours." 




Taylor's troops defeat the Mexicans at Buena 
Vista 



War with Mexico 



34^ 



Cerro Gordo 



The Mexicans were defeated with great loss. This ended 
the operations on the Rio Grande and made General Taylor 
a popular hero. 

American troops now marched into New Mexico and Cali- 
fornia and quietly took possession of that territory, which 
at the time was a part of Mexico. 

General Winfield Scott prepared to end the war in 1847 
by an attack on the City of Mexico itself. He landed at 
Vera Cruz, and started on a long march of two 
hundred miles. At Cerro Gordo he defeated Santa 
Anna, and drove him back with heavy loss. 

Along with General Scott were a number of young officers 

of skill and daring 

who were afterwards 
to be heard of in a 
greater and longer 
war. Such officers 
as Robert E. Lee, 
Ulysses S. Grant, 
Thomas J. Jackson, 
George B. McClellan, 
and indeed nearly all 
the great leaders in 
the Civil War, were 
fighting side by side 
in this march to the 
City of Mexico. 

Scott pressed on. 
losing many men by 
sickness. At length 
with but ten thousand soldiers, he came in sight of the 
beautiful City of Mexico, defended by thirty thousand 




The City of Mexico is captured by General Scott 



342 American History 

troops under the best leaders that Mexico could furnish. 
Capture of the '^^^ ^^^S^ lasted nearly a month, and many 
City of battles were fought. In September, 1847, the 

Mexico ^j^y surrendered. General Scott marched in 

and unfurled the American flag over the Mexican capital. 
During the war the Mexicans had not won a single 
battle. 

The capture of the City of Mexico ended the war. A 

treaty of peace was signed in February, 1848, by which New 

Mexico and California were ceded to the United 

Treaty of States, and the Rio Grande became the south- 
peace ' 

ern boundary of Texas. The United States paid 

Mexico $15,000,000 and agreed to settle all her debts due 

to American citizens. This amounted to $3,250,000 more, 

making in all $18,250,000 paid for over a half-milHon 

square miles. 

This cession of Mexican territory, together with a strip of 
land south of New Mexico bought by the United States in 
1853 for ten million dollars, which was known as " The 
Gadsden Purchase," practically estabhshed the present 
boundary lines of the United States. 

By treaty, trade, and war we had gained a million and a 
quarter square miles and had extended our territory to the 
Pacific Ocean. 

While the war was in progress it became evident 
that new territory would be added to our domain. The 
question of slavery in this territory was already one of 
deep interest and heated debates. Naturally the free 
States were lining up in opposition to an extension of 
slavery, and even the aboHtion of slavery altogether was 
becoming an issue. 

In 1846 David Wilmot, a Congressman from Pennsylvania, 



War with Mexico 343 

introduced a bill in Congress providing that slavery should 

be prohibited in all territory to be acquired from 

Mexico. This was known as the " Wilmot proviso 

Proviso." The measure failed to become a law, 

but it showed the issue on which great political parties were 

to form and a great struggle was to occur in the future. 

General Taylor. Taylor was as cool as he was brave. At one stage 
of the battle of Buena Vista he sat sideways on his horse watching the 
battle and directing the troops. The bullets were flying thick around him, 
but he paid no attention to them. An officer standing near by said : 
" General Taylor, your white horse ofifers a fine target to the enemy. You 
had better withdraw to a safer place." Taylor patted his horse's neck and 
remarked, " Old Whitey missed the fun at Monterey ; he must have his 
share this time." 

Shortly afterwards a Mexican brought in a message from his army, 
and seeing General Taylor sitting on his horse inquired why he was there. 
" Oh," said Taylor, " I am here waiting for Santa Anna to surrender." 

Questions. Who became President in 1844? What was the extent 
of the Oregon territory at the time ? By whom was it occupied? What 
did we want? What was the popular cry? Describe the division of 
Oregon. 

What dispute arose about the Texas boundary? How did the war 
begin? When was it formally declared? How long did it last? De- 
scribe the battle of Buena Vista. What did General Scott prepare to do ? 
Where did he defeat Santa Anna? Describe his march to Mexico. 
When did Mexico City surrender? 

What did we gain by the treaty of peace ? What did we pay for the 
territory? What was the " Wilmot Proviso "? 

Written Work. Write a statement of what the United States gained 
by the treaty with Mexico. 



344 



American History 



LESSON 87 
OPENING THE NEW TERRITORY 

The territory we had gained from Mexico was already 
well known to the Americans. Explorers had searched every 

part of It. Hunters, 
trappers, and traders 
had crossed the plains, 
explored the rivers, 
and found their way 
over the mountain 
passes. 

A long trail for 
wagon trains had been 
opened into Oregon 
and New Mexico, 
along which caravans 
of white-covered 
wagons wound their 
way, protected from 
the Indians by bands 
of brave and hardy 
men. 

By the time we 
had acquired the west- 
ern terri- 

The Mormons 

tory the 
Mormons had settled 
in what is now Utah. They had come from Illinois in a 
long and tedious journey of fifteen hundred miles, and 
founded a city on Great Salt Lake. Water was brought 



■ 


1 


.^j^"4 


''■ "m| 


^^^^^^^^^^Eg*to 


m 


^^M 


-^■'f 


vfl 


' M 


_^^S^^ '' 


i 


K 


-^ 


^^^ :• 


1 



// took a bold heart to cross the Rocky 
Mountains in the early days 



Opening the New Territory 345 

in long ditches from the mountains to water the fields. 
Like the Indians, they built their houses of adobe. By 
hard work they made an arid plain rich with growing 
crops, covered with grass, and filled with cattle. They 
changed a desert into a blooming garden. 

Many bold frontiersmen were finding their way across the 
country or by water to California. The fertile soil and the 
fine climate of the Pacific slope were well known in the East, 
and the settler's cabin was found in many places beyond the 
Rocky Mountains. 

The cabins and settlements, however, were far apart. The 
Indians still had villages in the forests, and vast herds of 
buffalo fed on the rich grass of the plains. It was a journey 
of three thousand miles across the continent, taking many 
weary weeks, and it called for a stout heart in those days to 
undertake its perils and dangers. 

Among those who went to California was Captain Sutter. 
He had come from Missouri in 1838, and built a fort on the 
American River where the city of Sacramento 
now stands. He started a sawmill about fifty ^qi^^"^^^^ ° 
miles above his fort. In January, 1848, one of 
the men who was working for him saw some shining particles 
in the mud of the mill race. He picked them up carefully, 
thinking they might be gold. 

Making a package of the pieces of metal, he mounted his 
horse and rode in haste to Sutter's Fort. Here he and 
Captain Sutter shut themselves in a room and examined 
the particles carefully. Sure enough, they were gold ! 
The secret could not be kept. The men at the mill 
found it out, then everybody knew it, and the people went 
wild. 

Then followed a mad panic for the gold fields. Merchants, 



346 



American History 



Gold digging 



farmers, lawyers, doctors, soldiers, and sailors dropped their 
ordinary affairs and began digging for gold. Everybody who 
could get a spade and a pan was searching the 
streams and the mountains sides, spading the 
earth, washing out dirt in the pans, and staking off claims. 
Most extravagant stories were told of men who made 
a hundred dollars a day, of those who found nuggets of great 
value, and of fortunes made in a week. Prices went bound- 
ing. A barrel of flour cost lifty dollars, and a spade cost 



II .«..,l"!ii!pi.l.|BI!l!J.»lf. »,i'. i'l l 




5i»& 



■A0^^\ ^""'^ 



To cross the plains to California was a weary journey of three thousand 
miles beset with many dangers 

ten. Nobody cared, since wealth seemed to be in the easy 
reach of every miner. 

In a short while gold was discovered in other places. The 

news reached the East early in 1849, and a mad rush for 

CaHfornia began. The "gold fever," as it was 

The Forty- (,^||g^ broke out, and thousands of people started 

mners " r- t 

for the West. Some went by sea around Cape 
Horn, or across the Isthmus of Panama. Manv more went 



Opening the New Territory 347 

by the long journey overland. Those who went West at that 
time were called " Forty-niners." 

The experience of many was most unhappy. Hundreds 
died of sickness and starvation on the way. The long trail 
across the plains was marked by skeletons of horses and 
oxen that had perished, by abandoned wagons, and by boxes 
and household goods that had been thrown away. 

A steady stream poured into Cahfornia. San Francisco 
sprang into a town of twenty thousand people. In one year 
a hundred thousand people moved into Cahfornia, coming 
from all sections of the country, North as well as South, 
and from nearly all parts of the world. 

Rich as were the gold fields, there were other treasures 
in Cahfornia. Its orange groves, vineyards, fine fields for 
cattle, and rich valleys for grain soon made California 
occupation for its crowding population. Life at applies for 
first was rude in the camps of the miners, and ^ ™ssion 
every man was his own protector. Out of the disorder, 
however, a State was organized in 1849, and a constitution 
was adopted that forbade the holding of slaves. California 
then applied for admission to the Union. 

Questions. What had the Mormons done by this time? What 
industry did they display? What can you say of the frontiersmen 
and California? Of the Indians and the buffaloes? What can you 
say of the journey across the continent ? 

Who was Captain Sutter? How did he and his men discover gold? 
When was it? What mad panic followed? What did the people of 
California do ? What stories were told ? Who were the " Forty-niners " ? 
Describe the experiences of many. How rapidly did San Francisco 
grow? What other treasures were to be obtained in Cahfornia? When 
and under what constitution did California apply for admission? 

Written Work. Describe the experience of a " Forty-niner " crossing 
the continent. 



348 American History 

LESSON 88 
THE QUESTION OF SLAVERY 

General Zachary Taylor of Louisiana became President in 
1849. He was in office a little over a year when he died of 
fever and was succeeded by the Vice President, Millard Fill- 
more of New York. 

The times were filled with discussions of slavery, especially 
as it concerned California and other states and territories 
to be made out of the land acquired from Mexico. 

From now on, the question of slavery occupied the public, 
mind. Slaveholding had been gradually abolished at the 
North, and by this time was confined to the Southern States. 
Cotton raising, tobacco planting, and sugar making were 
so suitable for slave labor, that the South felt bound to slavery 
on account of its industries. 

Not everybody in the South was a slave owner, prob- 
ably not more than one third of the people. Some had a 
few slaves only, but on the large plantations there were 
often hundreds belonging to one master. The 

Til 6 slfl.VGS 

slaves had originally come from Africa, where 
they were savages. They were kidnaped, or bought from 
the savage chiefs, and brought in slave ships to America 
to be sold to the slave dealers. Since 1808 there had come 
no more slave ships, except as smugglers, so that by 1850 
most of the slaves had been born in the South. 

The condition of the slaves generally was not a hard one. 
They were well cared for, with good cabins to live in and 
plenty to eat. All day they worked in the fields, and 
at night sang their songs around the fires in the negro 
quarters. For generations they had known no other con- 



The Question of Slavery 349 

dition, and most of them were content to remain as they 
had been born. 

A real affection existed between the master and his slave. 
They had often played together as boys, hunted and fished 
together, and grown up side by side. Sometimes slave 
families were never sold, but lived on the same farm for 
generations. Never before in history did so tender a feeling 
exist between an enslaved race and those who held them in 
bondage. 

A slave, however, was property. He could be bought 
or sold like any commodity. An able-bodied slave was 
worth a thousand dollars or more. A runaway 
slave could be caught and brought back to his propJ^J^^^ 
master. It was against the law to teach him to 
read and write, and he could not leave his master's place 
without permission, nor marry without his master's consent. 

Of course, there were cruel masters, as there are cruel 
fathers, but these were exceptions. When the slaves did 
fall into their hands they were hard driven, 

1 • 1. J 1 ] r J r •!• Occasional 

severely punished, poorly cared tor, and lamilies cruelty 
were separated by being sold apart. However, 
it was for the planter's interest to treat his slaves well. 
The state laws forbade cruelty, and public opinion was 
against the man who treated his slaves badly. 

The negro, however, was a human being ; and there were 
many people in the South, and many more in the North, who 
thought slavery was a calamity and a great moral wrong. 
There was a determined opinion in the North that it should 
not be allowed to spread beyor^d the States in which it 
already existed. Some bold advocates declared it should cease 
everywhere. 

In 183 1 William Lloyd Garrison started an abolition paper 



350 American History 

in Boston, called The Liberator. He was violent in his 
denunciation of slavery, and was resolved to free the negroes 
William '^^ ^^ ^^^ ^^ destroy the Union to do it. He 

Lloyd said that if the Constitution upheld slavery it 

arnson ^^^ a ^ covenant with death, and an agreement 

with hell." Many people thought he was crazy on the sub- 
ject. Even in Boston he was denounced as a fanatic and 
came very near being mobbed on the streets. 

Abolition societies were formed throughout the North. 
Their purpose was to bring about in various ways the 
emancipation of the slaves. Antislavery meet- 
sentiment ^^Ss were held in the Northern States. Speeches 
were made that drew the darkest pictures of the 
evils of slavery. A flood of Hterature on the subject was sent 
broadcast over the land. In many places the meetings were 
broken up by the authorities, and the abolitionists were 
mobbed by the people, but the sentiment against slavery 
grew steadily, and the abolitionists increased in number. 

Thus matters stood when California was opened in 1849. 
To that country rushed people from the South with slavery 
ideas, and people from the North with antislavery ideas. 

Questions. Who became President in 1849? How long was he in 
office and by whom was he succeeded? With what discussions were the 
times filled? What can you say of slaveholding at this time? What 
proportion of the people in the South held slaves ? Where did the slaves 
come from? What of the condition of the slaves? What was the re- 
lation between slave and master? 

What can you say of slaves as property? Of the occasional cru- 
elty? What was the deterrnined opinion of the North? What can 
you say of William Lloyd Garrison? What sentiment was growing 
at the North? What conflict was now opened? 

Written Work. Write your reasons why slavery should have been 
abolished. 



Disputes about Slavery 351 

LESSON 89 
DISPUTES ABOUT SLAVERY 

The free States and the slave States had long been jeal- 
ous of one another. For many years it had been the 
practice to admit one or two free States and then one or two 
slave States to the Union, thus keeping the number equal. 
There were, in 1850, fifteen States of each kind. If Cahfornia 
were admitted without slavery it would give the free States 
the majority, without any immediate prospect of a slave State 
to balance it. 

The South lined up in opposition to the admission of Cal- 
ifornia. A part of it was above and a part of it below the 
line of 36° 30' agreed upon in the Missouri Compromise. 
President Taylor, though a slaveholder, favored its ad- 
mission. The Northern States generally approved it. The 
Southern statesmen almost unanimously opposed it. 

There were other irritating issues. There was the ques- 
tion of the slave trade in the District of Columbia. Members 
of Congress declared that from their seats thev „, 

° • Slave trade 

could hear the cries of the slave markets and 

the voice of the auctioneers offering negroes for sale. The 

North demanded that this should cease. 

Then there was the further question of the return of fugitive 
slaves who had escaped from a slave State into 
a free State. The South complained that the gj^^^ ^^^ 
Northern people not only did not obey the laws 
and return the fugitive slaves, but actually helped them to 
escape, and hid them from their masters. 

Thus there were complaints on both sides, and grievances 
to be cured. The debates in Congress were long and 
stormy. Henry Clay, now seventy-two years of age, had 



352 American History 

returned to the Senate after seven years of absence. He had 
lost none of his eloquence. He now exerted all his powers 
to prevent a breaking up of the Union by proposing a com- 
promise. It was his last act as a peacemaker. 

He proposed that California should be admitted as a free 
State ; that the slave trade should be abolished in the Dis- 
trict of Columbia ; that more stringent laws 
of*^5o°°"^^ should be passed for the return of fugitive 
slaves ; and that the question of slavery in all 
the rest of the new territory should be left for the people 
themselves to settle. This proposition was known as the 
" Compromise of 1850." The bill was called the Omnibus 
Bill on account of the many provisions it contained. 

A debate of many months followed. Clay spoke for two 
days in earnest pleading for the compromise. Calhoun, too 
ill to speak, left his sick bed and had his speech opposing it 
read to the Senate. He died a few weeks later, saying, 
" The South ! The South ! God knows what will become 
of her ! " 

Daniel Webster joined Clay in urging the compromise. 
He feared that the quarrels were endangering the Union. 
It was in the same debate that William H. Seward of New 
York spoke of a " higher law than the Constitution," mean- 
ing a moral law that ought to liberate the slaves. 

The compromise was at last agreed upon, and laws were 
passed to make it effective. Everybody accepted it as final, 
but we shall see that peace was of short duration. 

The new fugitive slave law was not easily enforced. 

Some Northern States passed " personal liberty 

libert^aws ^^'^^ " to protect the slaves and prevent their 

return to their masters. When a slave owner 

attempted to get back his fugitive slaves there was often a 



Disputes about Slavery 353 

riot. Rescues occurred in many places. The people would 
not return the fugitives. 

Many persons in the North banded together to pass slaves 
on from one house to another, hiding them by day and 
helping them by night until they were landed in 
Canada. This came to be known as the " under- ", ®''^''°"" 

railway 

ground railway." In this way hundreds and 

possibly thousands of slaves escaped from their masters and 

were aided to get beyond reach. 

To make matters worse, in 1852 Mrs. Harriet Beecher 
Stowe wrote '' Uncle Tom's Cabin." It was a thriUing and 
pathetic story of what might happen to all slaves, 
and what did happen to some of them. The c^i^in" °™^ 
North wept over the story and cried out against 
the cruelties it pictured. A half million copies were sold. 
It was translated into many foreign languages, and all the 
world was reading of slavery. 

The South declared that the story was a decided exaggera- 
tion of the facts and that it did the people a great injustice. 
At any rate, the book was a powerful means of arousing the 
North against slavery. It can readily be seen that all these 
things were making the two sections of our country most 
unfriendly to each other. 

The Rescue of Jerry. Jerry was a mulatto negro who had lived 
for a number of years in Syracuse, N. Y., working as a cooper. He was 
claimed by an agent as being an escaped slave belonging to a Mr. Rey- 
nolds in Missouri. He was arrested and tried, but during the trial, not 
being closely guarded, he escaped from the court room. Cheered by 
the crowd he made a dash for liberty, but after a run of a mile he was 
overtaken by the pohce. He fought Uke a tiger, but was overcome, 
brought back to the court room, and confined in the police ofhce. 

When it became dark a body of citizens, moved by his pitiful story and 
in sympathy with the poor fellow, attacked the barracks, broke down the 



354 American History 

doors and windows, and took the prisoner off in a buggy. He was hurried 
away to the house of one of the rescuers, and finally sent to Canada, where 
he began his work again undisturbed. 

Questions. What had been the custom about the admission of 
States? What was the number in 1850? What was the sentiment in 
the North and in the South about the admission of California? What 
can you say of the slave trade in the District of Columbia? Of the 
return of fugitive slaves ? What did Clay propose, and for what purpose ? 

What was the Compromise of 1850? What can you say of Cal- 
houn? Webster? What were personal liberty laws? Describe the 
" underground railway." What can you say of " Uncle Tom's Cabin " ? 

Written "Work. Write the provisions of the Compromise of 1850. 



LESSON 90 
THE STRUGGLE FOR KANSAS 

Clay and Webster died in 1852, within a few months of 
each other. Calhoun had died two years before. The death 
of these three famous statesmen, who had been the leaders in 
the debates over mighty issues for forty years, and each of 
whom had hoped in vain to be President, left the arena for 
other comlmtants. 

The Whig party lost much of its power after the death 
of its two leaders, Clay and Webster. Other parties came 
into existence. The Free Soil party arose, 
^a^rrier^'^'*"^^ opposed to the existence of slavery in the Terri- 
tories. The American party was formed on the 
platform of " None but Americans must rule America." 
This party was at first a secret order, whose members 
replied to all questions about the party by saying, " I do not 
know." Hence they were called " Know-Nothings." 

The leading party was the Democratic party. The country 



The Struggle for Kansas 355 

placed great conlldence in its pledges for peace on Ihc basis 
of the Compromise of 1850. Franklin Pierce of New Hamp- 
shire, the Democratic candidate, was overwhelmingly elected 
President in 1852. 

We have already seen that the Compromise of 1850 left the 
people of the Territories of New Mexico and Utah to decide 
the question of slavery for themselves. This 
plan of leaving it to the people was called sovereignty 
" Squatter Sovereignty," on the idea that those 
who settled a country had a sovereign right to decide certain 
matters for themselves. The leading advocate of this plan was 
Senator Stephen A. Douglas of Illinois. 

It will also be remembered that the Missouri Compromise 
forbade slavery above the line 36° 30'. This line ran 
through the new Territory. Since the people in Kansas- 
New Mexico and Utah were to decide the Nebraska 

Bill 

question of slavery for themselves. Senator 
Douglas proposed that all the people of the new Territory 
in the West should have the same privilege. Hence he 
introduced a bill organizing the Territories of Kansas and 
Nebraska, known as the Kansas-Nebraska Bill, leaving the 
people of the Territories to settle the question of slavery. It 
can be seen at once that this bill repealed the Missouri Com- 
promise, since both these Territories were above the line 
agreed upon. 

.A.fter a stormy debate the bill was passed and became a 
law. The people of the North protested against it, public 
meetings denounced it, and Douglas was hooted at on the 
streets and burned in effigy in many places.^ 

In 1854 a mad race for Kansas began. Nebraska was 

'Douglas is reported to Iiave said, "T could have tra\'eled all the way 
from Boston to Chicago by the light of my own burning etiigies." 



356 American History 

too far north for slaves to be used with advantage, but 
Kansas was not. It was a struggle between the slave 
Race for States and the free States for poHtical control. 

Kansas Crowds of emigrants moved from the slave 

State of Missouri and began settlements. Emigrant aid 
societies were organized in Boston and other places in 
the North to send free-state voters to Nebraska and 
Kansas. 

The struggle for possession of these Territories became of 
national importance. The slave owners of the South moved 
in as fast as they could, money was raised in the North, 
societies were organized, and every week saw bands of 
armed emigrants starting for the disputed ground to contest 
with the slave States for its control. 

Many of these emigrants were lawless men. Nearly all 

went armed and were ready for a desperate conflict. A 

conflict between the two factions was unavoid- 

able. There were fighting and bloodshed in 

many places. The state of affairs is known as the " Kansas 

War." 

Each party proceeded to organize the Territory. There 
were two legislatures chosen by the rival parties. In four 
years Kansas had five governors, none of whom seemed able 
to control the people. One after another they gave up in 
despair of success. The Territory was called " Bleeding 
Kansas." 

This state of war and strife continued for five or six 
years, until finally the free-state party was declared victo- 
rious. Kansas and Nebraska were both admitted to the 
Union as free States. 

These bitter struggles in the Territories and the attention 
they attracted everywhere increased the feeling between the 



The War Clouds Gather 357 

free States of the North and the slave States of the South. 
The two sections of the country were drifting rapidly apart, 
and there seemed no hope of setthng their differences. 

Questions. What can you say of the death of Clay and Webster? 
What new parties came into existence? What was the American 
party? Why were its members called "Know-Nothings"? Who 
was elected President in 1852 ? 

What was ''Squatter Sovereignty"? What did Douglas propose? 
What was the Kansas-Nebraska Bill? What effect did it have on 
the Missouri Compromise? What was the reason for the race to 
Kansas? What struggle occurred? What was the "Kansas War"? 
What was Kansas called ? WTiat was the result of the strife ? 

Written Work. Write a short account of the struggle for Kansas. 



LESSON 91 
THE WAR CLOUDS GATHER 

In 1856 James Buchanan of Pennsylvania was elected 
President by the Democratic party. He was the last Presi- 
dent to be elected by this party for twenty-five years. All 
other factions in the North had by this time united to com- 
pose the RepubHcan party. 

A few days after Buchanan had taken his seat the Su- 
preme Court handed down its decision in the Dred Scott 
Case. 

Dred Scott was a negro slave. He had been taken by his 
master from the slave State of Missouri to the free State of 
Illinois. Here he had lived for two years. He 
was then carried to Minnesota, in which Ter- ^^^ ^*^°" 

' case 

ritory Congress declared there should be no 
slaves. Scott was then taken back to Missouri, but claimed 
he was a free man because he had lived for some time on 
free soil. 



358 American History 

His case went to the Supreme Court and was argued by 
great lawyers with much learning. The Court decided that 
Scott, being a slave, was not an American citizen, and that 
he could not sue for his liberty. 

It also gave an opinion that a slave owner could carr\- his 

slaves into any Territory in the same manner as he could any 

other property, and that the slave could not be 

decision** niade free by going into a free State or Territory. 

The Court also gave as its opinion that Congress 

had no right to prohibit slavery in the Territories. 

This opinion was received by the North with great 
dismay. It was feared that not only the "J'erritories but 
even the free States were open to an in\'asion by slaxe 
owners, and that there was no recourse in the law to 
prevent it. 

The majority of the statesmen in the North did not believe 
that slavery could be legally abolished in the States where it 
already existed, but they did maintain that it could be legally 
confined to those States. The Dred Scott decision scattered 
their hopes and was a great source of irritation. 

The people of the South, on their part, were startled by an 

attempt in October, 1859, ^^> arouse the slaves of Virginia 

to insurrection. Among the most fanatical of 
John Brown ,,,,... t 1 -r. tt 1 i 

all abohtiomsts was John Brown. He had gone 

to Kansas during the struggles there, and boldly declared 

that he was divinely inspired to free the slaves by any means 

whatsoever. He believed the way to free the slaves was 

to kill the slaveholders. During the struggles in Kansas 

he and his sons had actually killed in cold blood five or six 

advocates of slavery. 

After he left Kansas he gathered a band of about twenty 

followers, went to Harper's Ferry in Virginia, and seized the 



The War Clouds Gather 359 

arsenal. He stopped the railroad trains, captured several 
citizens, and called on the negroes to rise and arm them- 
selves. To his surprise there was no response. 
On the other hand, the citizens gathered in great ^°^jj "^"^^ ^ 
numbers, drove Brown and his party into the 
engine room of the armory, and held them at bay. Some 
of his followers tried to escape, but were killed or cap- 
tured. 

In a short while Colonel Robert E. Lee arrived from 
Washington with a body of soldiers. Brown was over- 
powered, his two sons were killed, and his followers taken 
prisoners. In a short while Brown and his men were tried 
by the laws of Virginia, and were hanged for inciting an 
insurrection. This attempt excited great indignation towards 
the South. It was known as the " John Brown Raid." 

The most serious aspect of John Brown's raid was the way 
it was considered by the people. At a few places in the 
North, on the day of his execution, religious services were 
held, bells were tolled, flags were lowered, and manifestations 
of public sorrow were made He was declared a martyr 
who was persecuted for the cause of truth and right. 

In the South there was quite a different feeling. He was 
denounced as an assassin who tried to arouse slaves to 
murder helpless women and children, and who richly deserved 
hanging for his atrocious crimes. 

During this state of affairs in i860 the presidential election 
approached. The RepubHcan party nominated Abraham 
Lincoln of lUinois for President. The Democratic party 
divided into two sections, one section nominating Stephen 
A. Douglas of Illinois, and the other section nominating John 
C. Breckenridge of Kentucky. 

The election was along purely sectional lines. Lincoln 



360 American History 

carried every free State but one, New Jersey, and was 
elected. The South had divided its vote among 
Lincoln" ^^ °^^^^ Candidates. At last the party opposed to 
slavery had come into power, and it remained 
to be seen what the South would do under the circum- 
stances. 

Questions. Who was elected President in 1856? Name the two 
great political parties. What was the history of Dred Scott? What 
was the Dred Scott decision? What other opinions did the Court 
hold? 

Who was John Brown? What had he done in Kansas? What was 
the John Brown Raid? What was the result? How was it received at 
a few places in the North ? How was it considered in the South? Who 
was elected President in i860? 

Written Work. Write an account of the John Brown Raid. 



Topical Analysis 361 

TOPICAL ANALYSIS 
Organizing the Union. Conditions after the Revolution ; limited 
powers of the Continental Congress; Shays's, Rebellion ; necessity for 
union ; the Constitution of the United States ; pohtical parties ; George 
Washington made President ; Hamilton's financial scheme ; locating the 
capital ; Citizen Genet. 

Progress of the Union. Eli Whitney and the cotton gin; John 
Adams, President; trouble with France; Alien and Sedition laws; 
Thomas Jeljferson, President ; the Barbary pirates ; Stephen Decatur and 
the Tripolitans ; the Louisiana Purchase ; Lewis and Clark ; Robert 
Fulton and the steamboat. 

The "War of 1812. Impressing seamen; Embargo of 1807; James 
Madison, President ; battle of Tippecanoe ; surrender of Detroit ; the 
Constitution and the Guerriere; other naval victories; battle of Lake 
Erie ; battle of the Thames ; Indian troubles in the South ; City of 
Washington captured ; Baltimore attacked ; battle of New Orleans ; 
treaty of peace ; Hartford Convention. 

Progress of the Nation. James Monroe, President ; tariff discussions ; 
Missouri Compromise ; Monroe Doctrine ; visit of Lafayette ; John 
Quincy Adams, President ; the Erie Canal ; the National Road ; the 
locomotive ; New York City ; Philadelphia ; coal ; anthracite ; gas ; the 
westward movement ; settlers' cabins ; stage coaches ; post offices. 

The Times of Andrew Jackson. Jackson's early life; his career as a 
soldier ; his character ; new political parties ; elected President ; the 
Spoils System ; opposition to the United States Bank ; removal of the 
deposits ; " pet banks " ; panic of 1837 ; Indian troubles in Florida ; the 
Georgia Indians ; tariff disputes ; Webster and Hayne ; nullification ; 
John C. Calhoun ; the Force Bill ; Clay's Compromise. 

Progress of the Union. Hard cider campaign ; Texas revolts ; the 
massacre at the Alamo ; Texas admitted ; inventions ; harvesting ma- 
chine ; electric telegraph ; war with Mexico ; Taylor along the Rio 
Grande ; Scott captures the City of Mexico ; Wilmot proviso. 

Disputes about Slavery. Opening the West ; the Mormons ; dis- 
covery of gold ; the forty-niners ; the question of slavery ; the abolition 
movement; the- admission of California; slave trade; fugitive slave 
laws; Compromise of 1850; " Uncle Tom's Cabin." 

Sectional Differences. Political parties ; Squatter Sovereignty ; 
Kansas-Nebraska bill ; Kansas war; Dred Scott decision ; John Brown 
raid ; election of Lincoln. 



PERIOD OF DISUNION 



LESSON 92 
THE SOUTHERN STATES SECEDE 

As soon as it was known that Lincoln had been elected 
President, a convention of delegates from all parts of South 
CaroHna met in Charleston, and on December 20, i860, passed 
an " Ordinance of Secession," formally dissolving the union 
between that State and the United States of America. 

Within six weeks Mississippi, Florida, Alabama, Georgia, 
Louisiana, and Texas had followed South Carolina. When 
Organization ^^^ great war began these States were joined by 
oftheConfed- Virginia, North Carolina, Tennessee, and Arkan- 
erate tates ^^^ February 4, 1861, the first seven States 
that had withdrawn from the Union sent delegates to a con- 
vention in Montgomery, Ala., and organized a government 
which they named " The Confederate States of America." 
They adopted a constitution and elected Jefferson Davis of 
Mississippi President and Alexander H. Stephens of Georgia 
Vice President. In May of the same year the capital of the 
Confederacy was moved from Montgomery, its lirst location, 
to Richmond, Va. 

The States, as they seceded, took possession of all govern- 
ment property in their territory, such as post offices, public 
buildings, forts, and arsenals. They did this on the ground 
that such public property had been built and paid for out of 
a common treasury, and the South was entitled to its share. 

362 



The Southern States Secede ^63 

They agreed, however, to settle with the United States 
government on a fair basis, to be afterwards agreed upon. 

Let us see the reasons the South gave for leaving the 
Union. All the States had entered the Union of their own 
free will. Each one had adopted the Constitution 
as an agreement to be lived up to and respected disunion ^^"^ 
by all. In adopting the Constitution, Virginia, 
New York, and Rhode Island had expressly stated that they 
would withdraw whenever they found cause to do so. It 
was generally understood that if the Constitution were 
violated by any State, then the agreement did not hold the 
others and they had a right to withdraw from the Union.' 

This right had been asserted by other than the Southern 
States. During the War of 1812 the New England States 
made threats of secession. In 1844 the legislature of Mas- 
sachusetts had resolved that the project of annexing Texas 
may " drive these States into a dissolution of the Union." 
'I'he doctrine of secession was neither new nor strange. 

The South maintained that the North was distinctly hostile 
to slavery, which was a right protected by the ^j^^^ ^^^ 
Constitution. The North had resisted the Fugi- South 
tive Slave Law, since many States had passed per- ™^'"*^'"**'' 
sonal liberty bills protecting all escaped slaves. The North 

1 The following are opinions of some Northern statesmen on the right of 
the Southern States to secede : 

"If the Northern States refuse willfully and deliberately to carry into effect 
that part of the Constitution which respects the restoration of fugitivvi slaves, 
and Congress provides no remedy, thS South would no longer be bound to 
observe the compact. A bargain cannot be broken on one side and still bind 
the other side." — Daniel Webster. 

"If the Cotton States shall decide that they can do better out of the Union, 
we insist on letting them go in ])eace. The right to secede may be a revolu- 
tionary one, but it exists nevertheless." — Horace Greeley. 

"If a State should withdraw and resume her powers, 1 know of no reined\- 
to prevent it." — Chief Justice Chase. 



364 American History 

had resisted the Dred Scott Decision, had repelled slavery 
from the Territories, and in many cases had approved the 
raid of John Brown. 

In addition to all this the triumph of the Repubhcan party 
and the election of Lincoln was a triumph of antislavery 
feehng. It was the setting of sentiment against the South, 
especially as Lincoln had said, " I believe this government 
cannot endure half slave and half free. I do not expect the 
house to fall, but I expect it will cease to be divided. It will 
become all one thing or all the other." 

Before we go into the story of the great war that was 
soon to burst upon the country, let us take a view of the 
two sections that stood so hostile to each other. 

There were in 1861 thirty-four States in the Union. Of 
these eleven Southern States seceded, leaving twenty-three 
Comparison Northern States. The Northern States had a 
of the two population of 22,000,000. The Southern States 
sections ^^^ ^ population of 9,000,000, of which over 

three and a half miUion were slaves. The South had about 
one-fourth the white population of the North. 

The South was under the necessity of organizing an army 
and a navy, and estabhshing a government that should be 
recognized abroad. There were few machine shops in the 
South, and at first no powder mills nor factories for making 
blankets, canteens, and other army supplies. These already 
existed in the North, which for generations had been the 
manufacturing section of the country. 

The South had become more and more an agricultural 
section. The stream of immigration of foreign labor settled 
North or passed by the South on its way to the West. 
Foreign labor could not compete with slavery. 

The world understood that the South furnished little else 



The Southern StatevS Secede 365 

than cotton, and needed no labor but slaves. Upon cotton 
the South based its hope for foreign recognition, since the 
mills of Europe would be compelled to close if the supply- 
was cut off. It was said, " Cotton is king." 

The South was to have the advantage of fighting upon its 
own soil, near its own fields and supphes, and in defense of 
its own cities and property. There were slaves to raise the 
crops that would feed and clothe their masters at the front. 
The South was united as one, the flower of its manhood was 
to go into battle, and the inequality of numbers and wealth 
had to be met by the valor of its soldiers. 

Collateral Reading. " The Battle Hymn of the RepubHc," by Julia 
Ward Howe; "Maryland! My Maryland!" by James R. Randall; 
" Bonnie Blue Flag," by H. McCarthy. 

Questions. When did South Carolina secede? What other States 
followed within a month ? What other States joined them ? When and 
where were the Confederate States of America organized? Who was 
elected President and who Vice President? What place became the 
capital of the Confederacy? Of what did the seceding States take pos- 
session and on what grounds ? What did they agree to do ? 

What was generally understood to be the right of a State to secede, and 
under what conditions? When had this right been asserted by other 
States? What did the South maintain? How had the North acted? 
What did the triumph of the RepubHcan party mean? What had 
Lincoln said ? 

Compare the two sections as to the number of States ; the population ; 
the necessity of organization in the South. What was said about cotton ? 
What advantage had the South as to fighting ground ? 

Written Work. Write a statement of the reasons the South gave for 
leaving the Union. 



[66 American History 



LESSON 93 
ABRAHAM LINCOLN 

The two men who are now to occupy the center of the 
stage of our history are Abraham Lincoln, the President of the 
United States, and Jefferson Davis, the President of the Con- 
federate States. It is well for us to pause for a while and learn 
something about these two great men. 

Abraham Lincoln was born in Kentucky, February 12, 
1809. When he was seven years of age his parents moved 

to Indiana. The family was very poor, and 
Early life . "^ . . ., 

Lincoln spent his young life in toil and hard- 
ship. From a child he had to do the hard work of a farm 
in the wilderness. From his ability as a young man to 
swing an ax, clear the forest, and split the logs, he was 
called " the rail splitter." 

He had but little chance to get an education. He did not 
go to school more than twelve months in all his life. He 

learned to read, however, such books as the 

His education ., . , 

Bible, " Pilgrim s Progress," and " i^sop s Fables. 
These" books he borrowed from neighbors, often walking 
miles to get something to read. Upon one occasion the 
rain soaked a book he had borrowed, and the owner made 
him work three days to pay for it. 

When he was twenty-one years old he moved to lUinois, 
walking nearly two hundred miles, driving an ox team, often 
through mud and water. Here he began to study hard, and 
soon was well known for his shrewdness and abihty. He 
was noted for his wise sayings, such as, " You may fool all 
the people some of the time, and some people all of the time, 
but you cannot fool all of the people all of the time." 



Abraham Lincoln 



367 




Abraham Lincoln 



He was tall, being six feet four inches high, spare of 
frame, but muscular and in perfect health. He could out-run, 
out-jump, and out-wrestle anybody in the neigh- 
borhood. He was a line story teller, and al- 
ways had a good joke to fit every occasion. His 
integrity and simplicity made him known as " Honest Abe." 

In a short time he was elected to the legislature, and 



" Honest 
Abe " 



368 American History 

then to the Congress of the United States. In 1858 he was 
a candidate for the Senate against Stephen A. Douglas, and 
Lincoln- challenged him to joint debate on the slavery 

Douglas issues that were dividing the country. He was 

defeated by Douglas, but his speeches attracted 
much attention. 

Lincoln was a man of strong convictions and great firm- 
ness. He was cast by nature in a heroic mold ; yet he 
was gentle, sympathetic, and even tender in his 
o/uncoin" dealings with men. He had a melancholy dis- 
position, was deeply oppressed by his responsibil- 
ities, and concerned about the welfare of the country. His 
great ambition was to save the Union, and it grieved him 
profoundly to see the Southern States secede. 

In his inauguration speech he declared the Southern 
States need have no fear of a Republican President. He 
stated that he had no purpose to interfere 
speech™ directly or indirectly with slavery in the States 

where it already existed, because he had no law- 
ful right to do so. He believed the union of the States to 
be perpetual, and that no State could withdraw from the 
Union upon its own motion. He considered the Union, 
therefore, unbroken, and would continue to execute all the 
laws in the States, North and South. 

He concluded his address by saying, " In your hands, my 
dissatisfied countr}Tnen, and not in mine, is the momentous 
issue of civil war. The government will not assail you. 
You can have no conflict without yourselves being the 
aggressors. I am loath to close. We are not enemies, but 
friends. We must not be enemies. Though passion may have 
strained, it must not weaken the bonds of afifection. The 
mystic cords of memory, stretching from every battlefield 



Abraham Lincoln 369 

and patriot grave to every living heart and hearthstone, all 
over this broad land, will yet swell the chorus of the Union 
when again touched, as surely they will be, by the better 
angels of our nature." 

Lincoln was truly a great and wise man. If all the 
leaders of Northern sentiment had been as conservative, 
the disasters of the war might not have been so great, and 
surely its consequences would have not been so dreadful. 

Lincoln's Inaugural Address. The opinions of Lincoln regarding 
the seceding States and his duty as President are fully expressed in his 
inaugural address, March 4, 1861. In that address he said: 

" I hold that, in contemplation of universal law, and of the Constitu- 
tion, the union of these States is perpetual. 

" It follows from these views, that no State, upon its own mere motion, 
can lawfully get out of the Union ; that resolves and ordinances to that 
effect are legally void. 

" I therefore consider that, in view of the Constitution and the laws, the 
Union is unbroken ; and to the extent of my ability, I shall take care, as 
the Constitution itself expressly enjoins upon me, that the laws of the 
Union be faithfully executed in all the States. 

" The power confided to me will be used to hold, occupy, and possess 
the property and places belonging to the Government, and to collect the 
duties and imposts ; but beyond what may be necessary for these objects, 
there will be no invasion, no using of force against or among the people 
anywhere." 

Questions. When and where was Abraham Lincoln born? Where 
did his parents move? What can you say of his early life? What 
name did he get for his abihty to use an ax? What can you say of his 
eagerness to get an education? To what State did he move when he 
was twenty-one ? For what did he become noted ? Describe his appear- 
ance as a man. What other name did he acquire? 

How did he begin his political hfe? What joint debate did he engage 
in? What was his disposition and character? What did he declare to 
be his opinions when he was inaugurated? 

Written Work. Write some of the incidents of the early life of 
Abraham Lincoln. 



Ijo American History 



LESSON 94 
JEFFERSON DAVIS 

Jefferson Davis, like Lincoln, was born in Kentuck>-. He 

was eight months older than Lincoln, being born June 3, 

1808. As when a child Lincoln had moved north 

Early life 

to Indiana, so in early Hfe Davis had moverl 
south into Mississippi. Thus the two Presidents had been 
born on middle soil, but had early gone different ways, and 
had grown up under different conditions that gave a 
different color to their lives and thoughts. 

Davis was educated in good schools in Mississippi. He 
also went to school in Kentucky. When he was sixteen 

years old he went to the West Point Military 

His education 

Academy. After he graduated he served about 
seven years in the United States Army, doing service in the 
Indian wars in the West. He then left the army and 
became a planter in Mississippi. 

He was elected a member of Congress, but resigned when 
the Mexican War broke out, to lead a regiment of Mississip- 

pians into Mexico. In this war he was a brave 
Mexican War ^^^'''^ '^^^ ^ Splendid soldicr. At the battle of 

Buena Vista his regiment was attacked by a large 
force of the enemy. His ringing command, " Steady, Mis- 
sissippians! Steady! " held the soldiers in perfect order. 

Davis drew his troojis in shajie like the letter V. Their 
lire in this position was so effective that the Mexicans 
quickly retreated. This formation of his troops led General 
Taylor to mention him in his report for " his distinguished 
coolness and gallantry." After the Mexican War he was 
elected Senator from the State of Mississippi. 



Jefferson Davis 



371 




Jefferson Davis, the President of the Confederate States 



When Franklin Pierce was President, Davis was selected 
Secretary of War. In this office he introduced better guns 
for the soldiers, improved the tactics of the army, and 
strengthened the defenses of the seacoast. 

From the cabinet of President Pierce, Davis went in 1857 
to the Senate to represent Mississippi. Here he remained 



372 American History 

for four years during those stormy debates when the fate of 
the Union hung in the balance. He was an able orator, 
. of great powers of persuasion and sweetness of 
temper. Since the days of Calhoun there was 
no one who represented the Southern sentiment in Con- 
gress more fully or more ably than Davis. 

He believed tirmly in the sovereignty of the States and 
the right of withdrawal from the Union. He was the 
champion of the rights of the States to have slaves if they 
wanted to have them, and for the Territories to have them if 
the people chose. He believed the Constitution guaranteed 
this right, and that it could not be denied by the general 
government. 

When Mississippi withdrew from the Union, Davis left 
the Senate. In his farewell speech he declared that seces- 
Withdraws ^^^^ ^^* ^^ ^^ justified upon the basis that the 
from the States are sovereign. When the right is denied 

to withdraw from a government which threatens 
the guaranteed institutions of some of the States, they but 
tread in the paths of their fathers when they proclaim their 
independence. 

During the four years of the war President Davis showed 
a rare spirit of sacrifice and heroic endurance. He ever 
maintained the justice of the cause of the South, and endured 
with dignity to the very end the trials of the unfortunate 
struggle. 

Davis' Farewell to the Senate. Upon the occasion of Mississippi's 
withdrawal from the Union, Davis made a dignified, manly, well-tem- 
pered presentation of the case of his State. It will ever remain a monu- 
ment to his ability as an orator and statesman. Davis said in part : 

" Then, Senators, we recur to the compact which binds us together ; 
we recur to the principles upon which our government was founded ; 
and when you deny them, and when you deny to us the right to withdraw 



The Bombardment of Fort Sumter 373 

from a government which, thus perverted, threatens to be destructive 
of our rights, we but tread in the paths of our fathers when we proclaim 
our independence and take the hazard. 

" This is done, not in hostihty to others, nor to injure any section of 
the country, not even for our own pecuniary benefit, but from the high 
and solemn motive of defending and protecting the rights we inherited, 
and which it is our sacred duty to transmit unshorn to our children." 

Questions. When and where was Jefferson Davis born? Where 
did he move in his early life ? What comparison can you make of the 
early hfe of Lincoln and Davis? WTiere was Davis educated? What 
service did he render in the battle of Buena \'ista? What did General 
Taylor mention him for in his report? What service did he render as 
Secretary of War? 

What can you say of his service as Senator from ^Mississippi? In 
what did he firmly beheve? Of what was he the champion? What 
were his sentiments expressed at his withdrawal from the Senate ? 

Written Work. Write a comparison of the views of Lincoln and 
Davis regarding the right of a State to secede. 



LESSON 95 
THE BOMBARDMENT OF FORT SUMTER 

We are now to learn the story of the great war between 
the States, or the Civil War, as it is generally called. It is 
a sad story of many battles and of much bloodshed. It is an 
inspiring story of heroic men on both sides who fought, and 
many of whom died, for what they thought was right. 

Nobody foresaw the four years of long and bitter struggle. 
In fact, everybody hoped there would be no war at all. The 
South wanted peaceable separation, and the North expected 
the seceding States to return to the Union. 

Virginia proposed that a peace conference of all the 



374 American History 

States be held in Washington. Delegates from seven 

Southern States and fourteen Northern States met in 

Washington in February, 1861. After three 

orts or ^vceks' discussion the conference agreed on rec- 

peace '^ 

ommendations to be made to Congress. These 
recommendations, however, were not accepted by that body. 

Before Lincoln had been inaugurated South Carolina had 
sent three commissioners to Washington to treat with Presi- 
dent Buchanan for the public propert}- that had been seized 
in that State, and to arrange for a division of the pubhc debt. 
The President sent them word he would meet them as private 
gentlemen, but would not see them as commissioners of a 
seceding State. 

In the meantime ^lajor Robert Anderson of the United 

States Amiy held Fort Sumter in Charleston Harbor. He 

had but a handful of men, and was preparing to 

Fort Sumter j^>f^.^-^^^ y^ for^. f^^,^^^ .^,^ attack. Noticc was 

threatened 

given to the President of the United States that 
any attempt to reenforce this fort by sending armed men 
for its defense would be looked upon as an act of war. 

Lincoln became President in March, 1861. In April, 
word was received by the Confederate government that a 
fleet had sailed from the North, with men and provisions, to 
strengthen Fort Sumter. The South accepted this as an 
act of hostility, and prepared to meet it. Beauregard, the 
Confederate general, was ordered to demand the surrender 
of the fort. If the surrender was refused, he was to fire upon 
the fort and capture it before the fleet arrived. 

The fleet moved southward and soon came in sight of 
Charleston. Major Anderson refused to surrender. Beau- 
regard sent word to the fort that unless it surrendered at 
once he would open fire in an hour. The women and children 



The Bombardment of Fort Sumter 375 



had been removed from the fort to a place of safety, and 
preparations had been made for defense. 

At four o'clock in the morning of April 12. 1861, the first 
gun of the war was fired from a Confederate battery. The 
shell rose high in the air and burst on the fort. 

The 

In a few minutes other guns opened. At seven bombardment 

o'clock the guns of Sumter began their reply. 

All day long and all the next night, for thirty-four hours 

the bombardment continued. On the second day the fort 

was almost in ruins, 

and fire was .so near 

the magazine that 

the powder had to 

be thrown into the 

sea. 

Major Anderson, 
who had made a 
brave defense, now 
agreed to surrender 
the fort. The stars 
and stripes were 
lowered, and the Confederate flag was put in its place. 
Major Anderson was allowed to salute his flag with fifty 
guns, and was given transportation to Xew York.' 

Strangely enough, not a man had been killed in the 

' Major Anderson, in making his report of the evacuation of Fort Sumter, 
sent the following dispatch to Washington : 

Sir: Having defended Fort Sumter for thirty-four hours until the quarters 
were entirely burned, the main gates destroyed, . . . the magazine [of powder] 
surrounded by flames, . . . and no provisions but pork remaining, I accepted 
terms of evacuation offered by General Beauregard . . . and marched out of 
the fort . . . with colors flying and drums beating, . . . saluting my flag 
with fifty guns. 




Fort Sumter. hornbanJed April 12, 1861 



376 American History 

bombardment. The bells of Charleston rang, the people 
shouted and paraded the streets. The first guns of the war 
had sounded. Sumter had been fired upon to prevent reen- 
forcement, and the whole country was wild with the exciting 
news. 

The South declared the North had begun the war by send- 
ing a fleet of vessels, with men and ammunition, to reenforce 
Sumter. The North declared that the South had begun the 
war by firing the first gun. At any rate, the war was 
opened, and there was no longer a question of peace. 

The people in the South who were opposed to secession 
at once accepted the situation and followed the fortunes of 
the Confederacy. Those in the North who were opposed 
to coercion left off their arguments. The flag had been 
fired upon. Henceforth there was talk of nothing else than 
war. 

Questions. What can you say of the efforts at peace proposed by 
Virginia? How had Buchanan treated the commissioners from South 
Carolina? What notice was given the President about Fort Sumter? 
What fleet sailed, and for what purpose? Describe the bombardment of 
Fort Sumter. To what condition was the fort reduced? Describe the 
evacuation of the fort. What was the opinion North and South about 
who began the war? What effect did the firing on Fort Sumter have 
upon the country? 

Written Work. Write out a short statement of what each side declared 
to be the beginning of the war, 



The First Battle of Manassas 377 

.LESSON 96 
THE FIRST BATTLE OF MANASSAS 

President Lincoln called for 75,000 volunteers to regain 
the forts and other public property that had been seized in 
the South. President Davis also called for vol- 
unteers to resist invasion. On both sides the ^ 

to arms 

response was overwhelming. The call to arms 
found a country eager for war. There were mustering of 
troops, organizing of companies, and drilling of soldiers 
going on everywhere. Both sides soon had armies in the 
field ready for the great struggle. 

When the call for volunteers was made for the Northern 
army the States of Virginia, North CaroHna, Tennessee, and 
Arkansas decided to withdraw from the Union and join the 
Confederacy. This made eleven Confederate States in all. 
The capital had already been moved from Montgomery to 
Richmond. All eyes were turned toward Virginia as the 
ground for the first great battle of the war. 

In July, 1861, the Northern army, sometimes called the 
Federal army, or the Union army, commanded 
by General Irvin McDowell, moved out of Richmond 
Washington on its way to capture the Confeder- 
ate capital. The cry was, " On to Richmond ! " The North 
hoped to end the war by a short and sharp campaign. 

General Beauregard was at Manassas Junction in com- 
mand of the Southern army. Word arrived that McDowell's 
army was on the march. General Joseph E. Johnston was 
at Winchester. The Confederate government telegraphed 
Johnston to move at once to the assistance of Beauregard. 
Johnston hastened to join Beauregard to help him give battle 
to the advancing Northern army. 



3/8 American History 

On Sunday, July 21, the first battle of Manassas began. 

At first the Confederates were driven slowly back, but were 

rallied on a hill, or plateau, by General Thomas J. 

irst arte jackson. Here they firmly received the attack 

of Manassas •" ^ •> 

of the Northern troops. At a critical mo- 
ment an officer rushed up to Jackson and said, " General, 
they are beating us back." " Then, sir," replied Jackson, 
" we will give them the bayonet." A few minutes later, 
seeing the troops around Jackson standing their ground so 
firmly, General Bee, a Confederate officer, called out to his 
own men, " There stands Jackson like a stone wall." 
Henceforth the great soldier was to be known in history as 
Stonewall Jackson. 

After some hours of hard fighting on the plateau, fresh 
troops arrived to reenforce the Southern army. The Feder- 
als, thinking a new army had burst upon them, and worn out 
by the long day's fighting, began to retreat. 

Soon they began to run, and shortly the whole army was 
in a most disorderly rout. The soldiers broke ranks, and 

ran from the field in panic, nor could many 
Washington *^^ them be stopped until they were safe in 

Washington. In this way the first battle of 
Manassas, or the battle of Bull Run as it is otherwise 
known, was a great Confederate victory. 

The news was received with great dismay in the North. 
It was clear that the war was not to be ended so easily, 

nor was it a holiday matter. With a deep and 
warrec^eiTeT ^crious purpose the North began preparations 

on a large scale to carry on the war. Congress 
authorized the President to call for a half million soldiers, 
and arranged for a revenue of a million dollars a day to pay 
for the expenses of the war. 



The First Battle of Manassas 



379 



The South was not so prompt. The battle of Manassas 
had created a confidence in her power that was far from 
prudent. Many persons foohshly boasted that the war was 
over and there would be no more fighting. The Confeder- 
ate Congress, however, put the South on a war footing, and 
authorized the cnHstment of 400,000 soldiers for three 
years. 

The Retreat to Washington. An English correspondent thus de- 
scribes the retreat of the Federal army from the field of Manassas : 

" For three miles, hosts of Federal troops ... all detached from their 
regiments, all mingled in one disorderly rout . . . were fleeing along 
the road, but mostly through the lots on either side. Army wagons, 
sutlers' teams, and private carriages, choked the passage, tumbling 
against each other, amid clouds of dust and sickening sights and sounds. 
. . . Then the artillery, such as was saved, came thundering along, 
smashing and overpowering everything. For ten miles the road over 
which the grand army had so lately passed southward, gay with unstained 
banners, and flushed with surety of strength, was covered with the frag- 
ments of its retreating forces, shattered and panic-striken in a single 
day." 

Questions. What call for volunteers was made? What was the 
response? What did both sides soon have? What four States joined 
the Confederacy? How many did this make in all? On what soil 
were all eyes turned? What place was the object of capture by the 
Northern army? What was the cry? Who commanded the Northern 
army? Who was in command of the Southern army, and where was 
he? What word arrived? What message did Beauregard send, and to 
whom? When did the first battle of Manassas begin? 

Describe the way Stonewall Jackson received his name. What caused 
the Northern army to retreat ? What did the retreat soon become ? 
How was the news received in the North? What was the effect of the 
battle of Manassas upon the South ? How did each side prepare for the 
further struggle? 

Written Work. Write the supposed experience of a Northern 
soldier in his retreat from Manassas. 



380 American History 



LESSON 97 
WAR IN THE WEST 

The general war plan of the North was to move steadily 
against Richmond in Virginia and capture the Confederate 
capital ; also to force a way down the Missis- 
of°the*war' *" sippi River, capture all the Confederate forts 
and posts, gain the control of that river, and thus 
cut the Confederacy in two ; then to move through the heart 
of the Southern States and end the war. 

We have seen how the campaign opened in Virginia. Let 
us leave the armies resting there and preparing for other 
battles, while we see what went on in the West. 

The Confederates held a chain of forts all the way from 
Virginia to the Mississippi, running through Kentucky. The 
Federals planned to force their way into Tennessee, but to 
do this their gunboats had to pass Fort Henry on the Ten- 
nessee River and Fort Donelson on the Cumberland River. 
These forts were in the northern part of Tennessee and only 
twelve miles apart. 

Early in 1862 General U. S. Grant, in charge of the Federal 

troops, moved his army by gunboats up the Tennessee River 

and captured Fort Henry without much difh- 

^°^^^J^^^^y culty. He then sent the gunboats by the Cum- 

and Donelson -^ . 

berland River to attack Fort Donelson, while he 
marched across the country to join them. The weather was 
very cold, and the suffering of the soldiers as they fought in 
the snow and ice was dreadful. 

The fire from the gunboats and the attack of Grant's 
soldiers soon made it impossible for the Confederates to 
remain in the forts. The commanding officer sent word 



War in the West 



381 



to Grant that he would like to confer with him about 
the terms of surrender. Grant replied, " No 

,., . , , . ,. , Surrender of 

terms except unconditional and immediate sur- portDoneison 
render can be accepted." The fort, with all its 
stores and nearly the entire garrison of soldiers, then fell into 
the hands of the Federals, February 16, 1862. 




General Grant and his troops march oyer/and to attack Fort Done/son 



The Confederate army, under General Albert Sidney 
Johnston, turned southward, leaving Kentucky and the upper 
part of Tennessee to the Federals. Grant fol- 
lowed close behind. At Pittsburg Landing, s^"t° 
or Shiloh, near the line between Mississippi and 
Tennessee, Johnston suddenly turned on Grant, and, April 
6, 1862, opened the great battle of Shiloh. 

The sudden attack threw the Federals into confusion. 
General Sherman, in command of one of the divisions of 
the Northern army, acted with great courage and coolness. 



382 



American History 



Twice wounded, horse after horse shot from under him, he 
drew his troops out of danger and saved them from defeat. 

General John- 
ston, while leading 
his soldiers and 
cheering them on 
in the afternoon, 
was shot in the leg. 
Blood flowed from 
the wound, but he 
rode on, cheering 
his men, until, faint 
and exhausted, he 
fell from his saddle 
and a few moments 
later expired. His 
death was a great 
loss to the Con- 
federacy. 

The battle lasted 
during two days. 
On the first day the 
Federals were forced back almost into the river, when night 
dosed the engagement. The next morning fresh troops 
Mississippi arrived to their rehef, the tide of battle turned, 
the Confederates were driven back, and retreated 
to Corinth. At the sarne time important forts on 
the Mississippi River were captured by the Federals, inclutl- 
ing the town of Memphis. In three months the Mississipj)i 
River had been opened as far down as V'icksburg, and the 
Northern army had penetrated deep into the lines of the 
Confederacy. 



^pl 




■ 


^^^^^^^''' %i 




1 


^P';f^ 




1 


H^^^^^^ JSH|| 




■■^^B^l 


^^^^^^b| 




^^1 


wm 




H 


IH^ 




1 



General Albert Sidney Johnston 



opened to 
Vicksburg 



War in the West 



383 





#H 


A L^ I 


r 'fl 


mt^m 


W^m 




w*^ 


rZw9^^...'K 


■■ .,.,j 



General Albert Sidney Johnston, exhausted by 
loss of blood, falls from his horse 



About two weeks after the battle of Shiloh a Federal 
fleet under command 
of Admiral David 
Farragut steamed up 
the Mississippi River 
to capture the city of 
New Orleans. For 
nearly a week the 
fleet bombarded the 
two forts that de- 
fended the city. The 
forts replied, but with 
little effect. 

Painting his vessels 
black, Farragut ghded 

past the forts at night. As soon as the fleet was discovered, 
a terrible Are was opened upon the vessels. Burning rafts 
were set afloat, shot and shell were poured Attack on 
upon them, but the fleet held on. Past the ^ew Orleans 
forts were Confederate war vessels that gave battle to 
Farragut, but these were soon driven ashore. Practically 
uninjured, the Federal fleet moved up to the city. 

New Orleans was thrown into a state of panic. Public 
property and stores of all kinds were burned, ammunition 
was sunk in the river, cotton was destroyed, and 
w^ooden ships set on fire to drift against the ^^'^^^'^riean 
enemy. When Farragut arrived he demanded 
the surrender of the city, which was given after a three 
days' conference with the mayor and council (April 29, 
1862). 

The loss of New Orleans was a great blow to the Con- 
federacy. It was the largest city in the South and the chief 



384 American History 

center of its cotton trade. It was the main gateway to the 
rich grainfields of the West, which suppUed food to the 
soldiers in the held as well as to the people at home. Its loss 
gave the lower Mississippi River into the Federal control 
and forever crushed the hopes of the Southern States for 
foreign recognition. 

The Surrender of New Orleans. Two officers of the United States 
navy landed on the docks at New Orleans and walked up the street to the 
City Hall to accept from the mayor the surrender of the town. The 
streets were full of excited people crying, " Hurrah for Jeff Davis! " 
" Shoot them! " " Kill them! " " Hang them! " Pistols were flash- 
ing on all sides. The two officers never flinched. Unguarded and alone, 
not looking to the right or left, they walked along steadily, while the 
crowd howled in derision. A few shots would have ended their lives, but 
fortunately none was fired. The officers passed on unharmed. 

At the City Hall the town was formally surrendered. A body of 
marines from the Federal fleet had arrived, and cannon were placed com- 
manding the street. The crowd of citizens had their guns with them. 
As the flag of the United States slowly rose, a deep groan broke from 
the people. Mayor Monroe placed himself directly in front of one of the 
cannon, with his eyes on the gunner. If the gunner fired he would be the 
first to fall. The crowd looked on in wonder and admiration. When 
the flag fluttered from the top of the pole a great cry went up, " Hurrah 
for Monroe ! " 

Questions. What was the general war plan of the North? What 
two forts held the situation in the northern part of Tennessee ? Describe 
the surrender of Fort Donelson. What great battle was fought in April, 
1862 ? What Southern general was killed in this battle? What was the 
result of this battle? What had the Northern army done in the three 
months' campaign in the West? 

Describe the attack on New Orleans. How did Farragut pass the 
forts? How did the city surrender? What was the result of the capture 
of New Orleans? 

Tell the story of the surrender of New Orleans. 

Written Work. Make a written statement of the general war plan 
of the North. 



Events on the Sea 385 

LESSON 98 
EVENTS ON THE SEA 

One of the first acts of President Lincoln had been to 
declare all the Southern ports in a state of block- Blockade 
ade. By this is meant that armed vessels were declared 
to be stationed outside all the harbors of the ^" ' ^ 
South to prevent ships coming out or going in. Thus all 
trade with foreign countries would be cut off. 

At first the blockade was not very effective, but as the 
war progressed the North built and equipped more vessels 
until the Southern ports were shut up tight and were 
watched day and night by the blockading fleets. 

In order to get cotton to European markets and buy guns 
and ammunition, besides such necessities as salt and medicine, 
the Southern ships had to pass these ves- 
sels in the harbors by " running the blockade." blockade 
To do this, small vessels, painted some dark 
color and not bearing any Hghts, shpped in the dead of 
night silently and slowly around the war vessels, and when 
safe outside hurried to Havana, or other West Indian 
ports. 

There they sold the cotton to foreign vessels and bought 
supplies to take home again. With this load they slipped 
as secretly as possible past the blockading vessels on their 
way home. It was dangerous and exciting sport, especially 
when the blockade runner was discovered and a long chase 
began. 

An event which came near involving the United States in 
a war with England occurred a short time after the block- 
ade was established. The Confederate Government had 
appointed- two representatives to secure recognition of the 



386 



American History 



Confederate Government in foreign countries. James Mason 
was appointed to London, and John Slidell to Paris. 



^PHi 



^■WUI_-,r ^ '?^"^-''-v - 'y--? '^ '■^'V:,.f^':^Sfif- ' :'S 




\ / 




Southern i/essels had to reach foreign markets by running the blockade 



These commissioners escaped the blockade at Charleston 
and reached Havana. Here in November, 1861, they were 
taken on board a British steamer named Trent. On the day 




Gen. P. G. T. Beauregard Gen. John B. Gordon 

Gen. Joseph E. Johnston 
Gen. J. E. 8. Stuart Gen. N. B. Forrest 



(387) 



388 American History 

after the Trent left Havana she was stopped by a United 
States war vessel and searched. Mason and 

e rent siidell Were arrested against the protest of the 
British officer and carried to Boston, where they 
were held as prisoners of war. 

Great indignation arose in England at this outrage to the 
British flag. The English Government at once demanded 
that the commissioners be given uj) or that war would be 
declared against the United States. The right to search 
vessels of foreign nations had brought on the War of 1812, 
and the United States had done the very thing they fought 
the British for doing. Seeing the justice of the demand, 
President Lincoln directed that Mason and Siidell be 
released and sent to England. This is known as " The 
Trent Affair." 

The commissioners failed to accomplish the purpose for 
which they were sent. The Confederate States were never 
recognized as a separate government. 

The South was not entirely without a fleet of war vessels. 
President Davis had given commissions to many privateers 
to prey upon the commerce of the enemy. Some 
the Alabama ^^^ vcssels, notably the Alabama, had been built 
in England for the Confederate Government. 
The English Government allowed the Alabama to escape 
from the shipyards under the pretense of having her make 
a trial trip. Once outside, the Alabama put to sea, hoisting 
the Confederate flag in August, 1861. 

She started out, under command of Raphael Semmes, on 
her career of destruction. Crossing the Atlantic, she cap- 
tured twenty merchant vessels of the United States. Turn- 
ing southward she cruised for three years through the Gulf 
of Mexico, along the West Indies and the coast of South 



Events on the Sea 



389 



America. Altogether in four years the Alabama destroyed 
sixty vessels, valued at ten milhon dollars. 

The United States war vessel, the Kearsarge (Ker sarj'), 
was sent in pursuit. At Cherbourg (Sher boorg'), France, 
the Alabama had put into port for suppHes. The Kearsarge 
waited outside the harbor. The Alabama came out to 
engage in battle, though badly prepared after her long 




The Kearsarge sinks the Alabama 

cruise. The engagement lasted but a short while, and the 
Alabama was sunk. 

The fact that the Alabama, and other Confederate war 
vessels, had been built in England brought on a controversy 
for damages between the United States and that country. 
The United States claimed that England had violated the 
laws of neutral nations in allowing war vessels to be built 
and equipped in her ports. The dispute lasted for many 
years, and was finally settled in 1872 by England paying 



390 American History 

fifteen and a half million dollars to the United States. This 
incident became known as the " Alabama Claims." 

Questions. What is meant by the blockade? How did it become 
more and more effective ? Describe the way a blockade runner secured 
trade with foreign ports. Who were Mason and Shdell? On what 
English vessel were they taken ? What happened to Mason and Slidell ? 
What protest did the English Government make ? What did Lincoln do ? 
What is this affair called ? 

What can you say of Confederate privateers ? What was the Alabama ? 
How did she put to sea ? What was her career ? What destruction did 
the Alabama accomplish in four years? What was the fate of the Ala- 
bama? What were the " Alabama Claims "? 

Written Work. Write a short account of the cruise and fate of the 
Alabama. 

LESSON 99 

THE VIRGINIA AND THE MONITOR 

About a month before the battle of Shiloh a strange 
naval duel occurred in Hampton Roads, near the entrance 
to Chesapeake Bay. This was the battle between the two 
ironclad vessels named the Virginia and the Monitor. 

When the Federals abandoned the navy yard at Norfolk 
they sank a war vessel named the Merrimac. This vessel 
had been raised by the Confederate authorities, its hull 
completely covered with a heavy protection of iron, and its 
prow fitted with an iron ram. It carried two heavy guns, 
and was a most formidable enemy. It had been rechrls- 
tened the Virginia. In March, 1862, it steamed into Hamp- 
ton Roads to attack the wooden ships of the Federal fleet. 

One may imagine the consternation the great monster 
The attack of Created. Its iron sides could not be pierced 
the Virginia \^y cannon shot, but on the other hand its 
great guns could easily penetrate the wooden hulls of 



The Virginia and the Monitor 391 

the enemy's vessels, and its terrible prow could deal a 
deadly blow. 

The Virginia made straight for the Cumberland. Its 
ram made a hole in her sides that sent her to the bottom 
with more than a hundred men on board. The Congress 
was next attacked by the guns of the Virginia, and that 
vessel soon surrendered and was set on fire. All the other 
vessels of the Federal fleet saw their impending fate. There 
seemed no escape from the floating fort of iron from whose 
sides cannon balls rebounded like rubber. 

The news of the exploits of the Virginia was telegraphed 
North and created great dismay. Suppose the Virginia 
should ascend the Potomac and bombard Washington it- 
self ! Suppose it should destroy all the Union vessels ! 
What would become of the blockade, and what then would 
be the result of the war ! 

Night had put an end to the first day's fighting of the 
Virginia. The next morning as she steamed out to renew 
her work of destruction there appeared a stranger ^.j^^ arrival 
on the waters. It was another ironclad, named of the 
the Monitor, that had arrived in the night. It °^^^°^ 
looked Uke " a cheese box on a raft." It lay with its decks 
almost level with the water, and in the center had a revolving 
turret for guns. It had come just in time to protect the North- 
ern vessels from the attack of the Virginia. 

Cautiously the two ironclads approached each other. 
When within a distance of one hundred yards the Monitor 
opened fire, and began the first battle of ironclads 
the world had ever known. Sometimes the vessels ^j^^ ironclads 
were almost side by side, then again they stood 
off a half-mile apart. Shot after shot rained upon their sides, 
but without effect. Neither suffered any considerable dam- 



392 



American History 



age. Each was invulnerable with the guns then known to 
warfare. After a while the pilot house of the Monitor was 
damaged and she steamed away for repairs. The Virginia 
withdrew to Norfolk. The battle was left undecided and 
was not renewed. 

It was now evident that one ironclad was worth more 
than all the wooden vessels put together. The day of ironclad 
war vessels had arrived. The battle in Hampton Roads 
was the most important single event of the war, since it 
revolutionized all naval warfare. 

Questions. Whal naval battle occurred in Hampton Roads? Of 
what vessel had the Virginia been made? What was her protection? 
When did she steam into Hampton Roads? What effect did her appear- 
ance produce? What were the first exploits of the Virginia ^ What 
effect did the news of these exploits produce? 

What other vessel appeared next day? What did it look Hke? 
Describe its appearance. Describe the battle that followed. What 
was now very evident? What importance is attached to the naval battle 
in Hampton Roads? 




The Virginia and the Monitor, in Hampton Roads, engage in the first 
battle of ironclads, March, 1862 




Gen. Geo. B. McClellan ' Gen. Geo. G. Meade 

Gen. Wm. T. Sherman 
Gen. Philip H. Sheridan Admiral David G. Farragut 

(393) 



394 American History 

LESSON 100 
THE PENINSULAR CAMPAIGN 

We left the Northern army demoraHzed after the battle 
of Manassas. Fot over six .months, while the campaign in 
General ^^^ West was going on, nothing of great im- 

George B. portance had happened on the soil of Virginia. 
Mccieiian General George B. McClellan had been ap- 
pointed Commander-in-Chief of the Union army, and had 
spent the time in thoroughly drilling and organizing the 
army of the Potomac. The autumn passed and the winter 
came on while he was getting ready. General Joseph E. 
Johnston in command of the Southern army was watching 
him and preparing to meet his advance. 

In February, 1862, the popular cry for a forward move- 
ment was too great to be ignored, and McClellan with 
120,000 men started on the famous Peninsular 
lotTdvln^e campaign. Taking his army by transports down 
the Chesapeake, he landed at Fortress Monroe 
and proposed to march against Richmond by the narrow 
strip of land between the York and the James rivers. 

At Yorktown he spent a month besieging a Confederate 
force, which retired towards Richmond just as the Federal 
Battles army was ready to attack. At Williamsburg 

along the an engagement occurred, and the Confederates 
peninsula retired. At Seven Pines or Fair Oaks a furious 
battle occurred in which General Johnston was wounded, 
and many men on both sides were killed. At last the Union 
army came within ten miles of Richmond, and could see 
the church spires and the smoke from the chimneys. It 
was to be a long time yet before they saw the inside of 
the city. 



The Peninsular Campaign 395 

In the meantime a remarkable campaign had been going 
on in the Shenandoah Valley. General Stonewall Jackson 
had a force of fifteen thousand men, which was opposed by 
two Federal armies under General Banks and General Fre- 
mont. Their object was to unite and crush Jackson, and join 
McClellan on the Peninsula. 

Jackson, however, was one of the most brilhant leaders in 
the war. During the famous Valley campaign, he drove the 
Federals out of Winchester, and so confused jackson's 
all his opposing enemies as to prevent them Vaiiey 
joining their forces. He came so dangerously •^^^p^^^'^ 
near Washington as to throw the authorities into sudden 
alarm. Word was sent to McClellan in the greatest haste 
to detach troops to protect the capital from capture by 
Jackson. 

In forty days Jackson had marched his little army of 
fifteen thousand men over four hundred miles. He had 
utterly routed four armies in succession, aggregating sixty 
thousand men, and prevented the uniting of the Federal 
forces sent to destroy him. He had captured thirty-five 
hundred prisoners, and killed and wounded as many more. 
After this series of movements he quietly marched his army 
to Richmond and joined his forces with those confronting 
McClellan. This was in May and June, 1862. 

When General Johnston was wounded at the battle of 
Seven Pines, he was succeeded in command of the Confeder- 
ate army by General Robert E. Lee. General Robert E.Lee 
McClellan, in a campaign of four months, had succeeds 
moved up the Peninsula, and was now with a 
large army almost at the very entrance of the Confederate 
capital. 

General Lee, desiring to know more about the task before 



39^ American History 

him, sent General J. E. B. Stuart, with a body of cavalry, to 
find out the strength and position of McClellan's army. 
Stuart rides General Stuart rode entirely around McClellan's 
around forces, escapcd unnoticed, and brought the 

McCieiian information needed by General Lee. In the 
meantime Jackson had arrived on the scene, having kept the 
Federal army from joining McClellan before Richmond. 

Now began that series of desperate engagements around 

Richmond known as the Seven Days' Battles. They were 

fought in the latter days of June, 1862. There 

Richmond"" ^^'^^ lighting every day for a week, and at night 

the tired soldiers had to march through swamps 

and woods to take position for the next day's battle. 

The skill of Lee, Jackson, and Stuart at length succeeded 
in forcing McClellan to withdraw to Harrison's Landing on 
the James River, where his army was safe under the protec- 
tion of gunboats. McClellan had lost fifteen thousand men, 
besides quantities of arms and stores. Lee had lost about 
the same number of men, but Richmond was safe for a while. 
Thus ended the Peninsular campaign. 

Questions. Who was appointed Commander-in-Chief of the Union 
army after the battle of Manassas ? What was he doing ? What Con- 
federate commander was watching his movements ? What campaign did 
McClellan undertake in February, 1862? Describe his slow progress 
toward Richmond. 

What was Jackson doing in the Shenandoah Valley? What can 
you say of General Jackson's brilliant campaign? What had he done 
in forty days? Who succeeded General Johnston in command of the 
Confederate army? Describe Stuart's ride around McClellan. De- 
scribe the battles around Richmond. How did the Peninsular cam- 
paign end? 

Written Work. Write an account of the achievements of Jackson in 
the forty days of the Valley campaign. 



Stonewall Jackson 397 



LESSON 101 
STONEWALL JACKSON 

General Stonewall Jackson is such a remarkable character 
in the history of war that it is well to know more about his 
life. 

He was born at Clarksburg, in what is now West Virginia, 
January 21, 1824. His real name was Thomas Jonathan 
Jackson, but we have seen that he gained the name of Stone- 
wall Jackson at the first battle of Manassas. 

He was brought up on a farm in his native State. When 
he was eighteen years old, dressed in a plain homespun suit, 
and carrying his clothes in a saddle bag, he 

^ . Early life 

went to Washmgton and asked to be made a cadet 
at West Point. He received the appointment and went 
at once to the military academy. He was an awkward, 
ungainly, quiet, good-natured country boy, of whom his com- 
panions at first made sport, but whom afterwards they treated 
with great respect. 

He was very ambitious. He wrote a book of rules for his 
own guidance, in conduct, dress, manners, study, and such 
things. One of these rules was, " You may be whatsoever 
you resolve to be." 

He served in the war with Mexico, winning distinction 
and promotion by his bravery. He seemed not to know what 
fear was, and held any position of danger until ordered to 
retreat. His great ambition was to do his full duty as a man 
and a soldier without fear. 

He early became a religious man, and was noted for his 
great piety. He taught in the Sunday school, and even 



398 



American History 




General Stonewall Jackson 

gathered the slaves of his town together every Sunday 
afternoon and taught them the truths of the Bible. Before 
Character and going into battle it was his habit always to go 
habits Qff |-Q g^ quiet place and pray. His servant used 

to say he could tell the night before there was to be a battle 
by the length of his master's prayers. 

He never used coffee, tobacco, nor intoxicating drinks of 
any kind. Often he went all winter in the Virginia moun- 



Stonewall Jackson 399 

tains without an overcoat, saying he " did not wish to give 
way to the cold." Once when told by his surgeon that he 
needed a Httle brandy, he replied, " I like it too well, that 
is the reason I never take it. I am more afraid of it than 
of Federal bullets." 

His soldiers were devoted to him, were always willing to 
follow him into any danger, and cheerfully obeyed his orders. 
They affectionately gave him the name of " Old Jack." 
Under his command they did so much marching that they 
were called " foot cavalry." Jackson always shared the 
hardships of his men. On one occasion when his brigade 
was worn out with marching, he said, " Let the poor fellows 
sleep. I will guard the camp myself." Accordingly he 
acted as sentinel during the night while his tired men took 
their rest. We shall see later that this great soldier was 
unfortunately killed as he rode in front of his troops, who 
fired upon him by mistake. 

Jackson's Coolness. During the Valley campaign General Jackson 
and his staff found themselves on the opposite side of a river from their 
troops. The bridge was guarded by a few Union soldiers who had placed 
a gun in position to prevent any one crossing it. Jackson and his men 
rode boldly up to the ofificer, and Jackson said in a commanding voice, 
" Who told you to place that gun there? Bring it here at once." 

The officer, thinking he was being ordered by one of his own superiors, 
quickly withdrew the gun. Jackson at once spurred his horse across the 
bridge, followed by his men, before the astonished Federal officer could 
prevent their escape. 

Collateral Reading. " Stonewall Jackson's Way," by John W. 
Palmer. 

Questions. Wfien and where was Stonewall Jackson born? What 
was his real name? How did he ask for an appointment as cadet at 
West Point? What kind of a boy was he? What can you say of his 



400 American History 

book of rules? What can you say of his service as a soldier in Mexico? 
In what ways did he show his religious character? In what way did he 
show his temperance principles? How did his soldiers consider him? 
How did Jackson show his consideration for his men ? Tell the incident 
showing Jackson's coolness. 

Written Work. Write a statement of the good habits of Stonewall 
Jackson. 



LESSON 102 



ROBERT E. LEE IN COMMAND OF THE 
SOUTHERN ARMY 

From this time on, the most conspicuous figure in the 
war on either side was Robert E. Lee. It is agreed that he 
was the ablest general developed by the war, and a soldier 
in whom the whole country may feel a great pride. 

He was born in Virginia, January 19, 1807. He was 
the son of General Henry Lee, a hero of the Revolution, 
^ , ,.^ who was known as " Light Horse Harry." 

Early hie . " -^ 

When he was eighteen years old he went to 
West Point, where he stayed for four years. During all that 
time he received no bad marks or demerits. His clothes 
were always in order, his gun bright, his lessons well pre- 
pared. So faithful was he in his duties as a student that he 
graduated second in his class. 

During the Mexican War Lee served as an engineer under 
General Scott. It was his business to build bridges, lay out 
roads, construct fortifications, and pcrfonn other duties of 
that sort. General Scott said that Lee was the best soldier 
he ever saw, and that a large part of his own success in Mexico 
was due to Lee's skill as an engineer. In after years 
General Scott said of him, "If I knew that a battle was 



Robert E. Lee 



401 




General Robert E. Lee 



to be fought for my country, and the President were to 
say to me, ' Scott, who shall be commander? ' I would say, 
' Robert E. Lee ; nobody but Robert E. Lee.' " 

When the war came on, Lee was a colonel in the United 
States army. He was offered the chief com- 
mand of the Union armies. To this offer he g^^^^ 
replied, " If I owned the four million slaves in 
the South, I would give them all up to save the Union ; but 



4© 2 American History 

how can I draw my sword upon Virginia, my native State? " 
Accordingly, Lee, like a great many other men, went with 
his State. 

He was made a major general of the Virginia troops, and 
afterwards took command of the entire army, as we have 
seen. 

General Lee was now fifty-four years old. He was a grave, 
dignified, and noble-looking man, of military bearing. His 
hair and beard were turning gray. He was 
andTabit crect and vigorous, and rode his famous white 
horse " Traveler " with grace and ease. He was 
the idol of his soldiers, who affectionately called him " Marse 
Robert." From the time he assumed command of the 
Southern army he showed such a mastery of the details of 
war, such a genius for handling troops, and using them 
effectively in battle, that he is recognized as one of the 
world's greatest generals. 

Lee, like many other great men, was gentle, generous, and 
good. It was a saying of his that duty was the sub- 
limest word in the language. He never used tobacco nor 
any intoxicating liquors. He felt kindly towards the Union 
army, and spoke generously of their valor as soldiers. He 
rebuked one of his officers who said he wished to kill all the 
enemy by remarking, " I would rather they go home and 
leave us to do the same." He told a Southern mother after 
the war, " Do not train up your children to be foes of the 
United States Government. We are one country now. 
Bring them up Americans." 

All men of all nations have come to acknowledge the 
genius and greatness of General Lee. With Washington, 
Jefferson, and Lincoln his fame has become a part of the 
proud traditions of our entire country. 



Progress of the War 403 

General Lee. " He was a foe \\'ithout hate ; a friend without treach- 
ery ; a soldier ^^ithout cruelty ; a victor \nthout oppression, and a victim 
without murmuring. 

" He was a pubKc officer wthout vices ; a private citizen without 
wrong ; a neighbor without reproach ; a Christian without hvpocrisy, and 
a man wdthout guile. 

" He was Caesar without his ambition ; Frederick without his tyranny ; 
Napoleon without his selfishness, and Washington without his reward. 

" He was obedient to authority as a servant, and royal in authority 
as a true king. 

" He was gentle as a woman in Ufe ; modest and pure as a virgin in 
thought ; watchful as a Roman vestal in duty ; submissive to law as 
Socrates, and grand in battle as Achilles." — Benjamin H. Hill. 

Questions. AMiat man now became the most conspicuous figure of 
the war? WTien and where was he born? Who was his father? ^Vhat 
was his record as a student at West Point? WTiat was his service in 
the war \nth Mexico? What did General Scott say of him? 

What was he offered at the beginning of the war? WTiat was his 
reply ? How old was Lee when he became Commander-in-Chief ? \\Tiat 
did his soldiers call him ? ^\^lat abihty did he show as a general ? WTiat 
were some of the good habits of General Lee? WTiat did he say of the 
enemy? What did he tell a Southern mother? WTiat is his rank 
among the great men of the countr>^? 

Written Work. Write an account of the good habits and character 
of General Lee. 



LESSON 103 
PROGRESS OF THE WAR 

After the battles around Richmond McClellan's army was 
recalled to Washington, and General John Pope was put in 
command. Lee decided to move northward, and, if possible, 
carry the war into the enemy's country. 

Toward the last of August, 1862. the armies of Pope and 
Lee came together on the old battle ground of Manassas. 



404 American History 

Stonewall Jackson held the enemy in check until he was 
joined by Lee, after which the Confederates swept every- 
The second thing before them. The second battle of Ma- 
battie of nassas was also a Confederate victory. General 

Manassas Pope was now reUeved, and General McClellan 
was again put in command. 

Lee decided to move into Maryland. Early in September 

he crossed the Potomac near Harper's Ferry. McClellan 

met him in Boonesborough, and forced him to 

Antietam retreat. Stonewall Jackson captured Harper's 

Ferry with a large quantity of ammunition 

and supplies. 

The two armies of Lee and McClellan now faced each 
other near Sharpsburg on Antietam Creek, and one of the 
bloodiest battles of the war occurred, September 17. The bat- 
tle lasted all day, and until darkness made it impossible to con- 
tinue. The next day the troops rested facing each other. The 
night of the i8th Lee recrossed the Potomac unmolested. 
It was a drawn battle, but it ended the invasion of Maryland. 

McClellan was again relieved, and General A. E. Burn- 
side was put in command of the Federal armies. Burnside, 
Battle of with a large army, moved southward in Decem- 

Fredericksburg jjgj. ig52^ and Lee met him at Fredericksburg. 
The center of Lee's army held a position called Marye's 
Heights. Burnside hurled his men against this position 
only to be repulsed with terrible slaughter. His troops 
found it difficult to advance over the piles of dead. When 
the night closed over the scene there were thirteen thou- 
sand dead on the Federal side, and four thousand on the 
Confederate side. Burnside retired with his army, and soon 
afterwards resigned his position. He was succeeded by 
General Joseph Hooker, known as " Fighting Joe Hooker." 



Progress of the War 



405 




General Lee advances into Maryland, September, 1862 



4o6 American History 

While these events were taking place, President Lincoln 
was considering the emancipation of all the slaves held in 
Proclamation ^^"'^ Southern States. Soon after the battle of 
of Emanci- Antietam he issued a proclamation declaring 
pation ^^^^ from January i, 1863, all persons held in 

slavery in any State or part of a State then in arms against 
the United States should be free. 

Lincoln said his object in the war was to save the Union. 
He declared, " If I could save the Union without freeing any 
slaves, I would do it ; and if I could save it by freeing all the 
slaves, I would do it; and if I could save it by freeing some 
and leaving others alone, I would do that." 

He resolved to declare all the slaves in the Confederate 
States free, as an act of military necessity, and as a means of 
ending the war and saving the Union. 

The proclamation had but little immediate effect upon 
the negroes in the South. ^ They knew that their freedom 
or slavery depended upon the failure or success of the 
Southern armies. 

There were some who joined the Federal armies as they 
passed through the South, and became active soldiers on 
the Northern side. Most of them, however, remained quietly 
upon the farms, laboring without complaint, content to be at 
the old home and live in the old way. 

1 Of the conduct of the negroes during the war, Henry W. Grady said : 
"History has no parallel to the faith kept by the negro in the South during 
the war. Often five hundred negroes to a single white man, and yet through 
these dusky throngs the women and children walked in safety, and the unpro- 
tected homes rested in peace. Unmarshaled, the black battalions moved 
patiently to the fields in the morning to feed the armies their idleness would 
have starved, and at night gathered anxiousl}- at the big house to 'hear the 
news from marster,' though conscious that his victory made their chains 
enduring. ... A thousand torches would have disbanded every Southern 
army, but not one was lighted." 



Progress of the War 



407 



General Hooker advanced in April. 1863. with an army of 
over a hundred thousand men against General Lee, who had 
an army of little over fifty thousand. At Chan- 
cellorsville, a few miles from Fredericksburg, ^.^^^'^^ *"^^ 
the two armies confronted each other. Lee sent 
Jackson around to the rear of Hooker's army. Jackson fell so 
suddenly and swiftly upon the Federal flank that they were 




Stonewall Jackson at Cbancellorsville is accidentally shot by his own men 

thrown into panic and confusion. Lee attacked them in 
front and the rout was complete. Hooker retired with his 
army across the Rappahannock. The advance of the Federal 
army was again completely checked ('May 2-3 j. 

The victory was dearly bought. Stonewall Jackson had 
ridden out in the evening to reconnoiter the position of the 
enemy, and was returning to camp after darkness had set in. 
His own men not recognizing him. and thinking his party 
was a body of Federal cavalry, fired upon them. General 
Jackson was wounded and fell from his horse. 



4o8 American History 

He was borne on a litter to a farmhouse near by, and in a 
few days died. His last thoughts were upon the battle, and 
he was muttering orders as his life ebbed away. His last 
words were, '' Let us cross over the river and rest under the 
shade of the trees." His death was a great loss to the 
Confederate cause. Lee wept when he heard the sad new^, 
and said, " I have indeed lost my right arm." 

Morgan's Raid. Among the most daring of the Confederate cavalry 
leaders was John H. Morgan. In July, 1863, he made a raid into 
Indiana and Ohio with a force of several thousand soldiers. Passing 
rapidly into Ohio, and riding day and night to avoid battle and capture, 
he burned bridges, threatened many towns and farms, and did all the 
damage he could. The militia and farmers started in hot pursuit of the 
raiders. Skirmishes were fought at several places, and every day Morgan's 
band grew smaller. Every obstruction possible was thrown in the way, 
until after three weeks' hard riding, Morgan was captured. Of all his 
men, only four hundred escaped death or imprisonment. IMorgan himself 
escaped from prison by burrowing under the walls, and afterwards made 
his way south. He was killed the next year in Tennessee. 

A Brave Sergeant, .\fter the battle of Fredericksburg the wounded 
soldiers lay all night on the battlefield, crying, " Water! Water! '' The 
thirst of the wounded men amounted to torture, and their cries were 
pitiful to hear. Over in the Confederate lines a young sergeant could 
bear it no longer, and in the morning said to the general, " Let me take 
water to those poor fellows out there. I may be shot, but I am willing to 
try it." The general said, " It is dangerous to go outside the trenches, 
for the enemy cover the field with their guns, but yours is a noble feeling. 
Go, and God protect you." 

The sergeant crept over the wall and ran with water to the first sufferer 
and then to another. The Federals saw his errand of mercy, and not 
only held their fire, but sent up a cheer for the brave boy. From man 
to man he passed, carrying the canteen back and forth for over an hour. 
Not a shot was fired at him. Then with a wave of his hand, and a cheer 
(rom both armies, he returned to his post unhurt. 

Questions. Who succeeded McClellan in command? What (Ud 
General Lee decide to do? What battle was fought between the two 



The Battle of Gettysburg 409 

armies, and with what result? What change was again made in the 
Union commanders? What was the result of the battle of Antietam? 

What change again took place in commanders? What great battle 
was fought, and where? Who succeeded Burnside? What was Presi- 
dent Lincoln considering at this time? What proclamation was issued 
January i, 1863? What did Lincoln say was his object? 

What great battle was fought in April, 1863? How did Jackson 
throw the Federal troops into confusion? Describe the way in which 
Jackson was killed. 



LESSON 104 
THE BATTLE OF GETTYSBURG 

Lee now decided to invade Pennsylvania. By this move 
he hoped to get food and clothing for his soldiers from the 
stores and fields of the North, to threaten Washington, and, 
if he defeated the Federal army, to secure foreign recogni- 
tion of the independence of the Confederate States, and 
perhaps dictate peace to the Northern States. 

Early in June, 1863, with an army of about sixty thou- 
sand men, Lee crossed the Potomac and moved on into 
Pennsylvania. General George B. Meade, now in command 
of the Union army of over one hundred thousand men, set 
out to check his advance. 

The two armies faced each other at the little village of 
Gettysburg. The battle began July i, 1863. On the first 
day the Federal division was driven through 
the streets of the town, and becoming confused ^g^j^g^ 
lost many men. Lee did not press his advan- 
tage, but waited for the arrival of the remainder of his 
army. That night reinforcements arrived for both sides, 
troops took position for the battle next day, and officers 
held important councils. 

On the second dav in the afternoon an attack was made 



4IO American History 

on the Union lines, but without any particular advantage. 
The great struggle occurred on the third day of the battle, 
when General Lee resolved to capture Cemetery Hill, the 
key to the position of the Federal army. 

About one o'clock Lee opened lire on Cemetery Hill 
with one hundred and fifty guns. The roar of artillery and 
the bursting of shells made a noise that shook the earth. 
The terrible bombardment lasted nearly two hours. Tons 
of metal were poured against the Union lines, but Meade's 
men were immovable. 

Lee sent word to Longstreet to charge the hill. The 

order was turned over to General Pickett, who saluted, and 

moved his troops out of cover of the woods and 

Pickett s • • 

charge ^^^^ ^^^ opening between the two lines. Fifteen 

thousand men moved steadily across the valley 
a mile wide to attack the Federal guns. 

The Federal guns played ceaselessly on the advancing 
Confederates. Though decimated, the brave troops were 
not dismayed. Every soldier pulled his cap down over his eyes 
and moved forward with easy, swinging step, knowing that 
upon the issues of that hour hung the destiny of the great 
battle. Not a man hesitated, as with steady march the 
troops crossed the valley and began to ascend the slope 
of Cemetery Hill. The Federal troops were in readiness 
behind their breastworks, holding their fire until the Con- 
federates were in range of their guns. 

Then burst the terrible rattle of musketry. Thousands 

of Federal guns mowed down the advancing Confederates. 

Volleys of infantry fire made great gaps in their 

ranks. Still they rushed forward, engaged the 

gunners hand to hand, and planted their flags on the 

breastworks. 



The Battle of Gettysburg 4 1 1 




Pickett's repulse at Gettysburg was the turning point of the war 
in the East 



412 American History 

At one time it seemed that Pickett would capture the 
hill, and Longstreet, who was watching the charge, turned 
to congratulate Lee on the victory. The terrible fire, how- 
ever, was more than the brave troops could stand. Their 
ranks were thrown into confusion, and soon the whole divi- 
sion began to fall back. Thousands had fallen in the charge. 
The rest hesitated, wavered, and retired slowly down the 
slope. Silently the remainder of the broken regiments 
retreated across the valley of death and into their own lines. 
Pickett's charge had been repulsed. 

In this battle over forty thousand men were killed or 
wounded, about evenly di\^ided between the two armies. 
Gettysburg was the turning point of the war in the East. 
It was the high-water mark of the Confederate cause. Ten 
days later Lee recrossed the Potomac and retired to the 
banks of the Rapidan. There were no more recruits to fill 
up the gaps in his army made by the awful charges at 
Gettysburg. 

Lincoln's Gettysburg Speech. .\ portion of the battlefield of 
Gettysburg has been set apart as a national cemetery. It was dedicated 
November iq, 1863. Upon that occasion President Lincoln made the 
following short and noble speech : 

" Fourscore and seven years ago our fathers brought forth on this 
continent a new nation, conceived in Liberty, and dedicated to the prop- 
osition that all men are created equal. 

" Now we are engaged in a great civil war, testing whether that nation, 
or any nation so conceived and so dedicated, can long endure. We are 
met on a great battlefield of that war. We have come to dedicate a 
portion of that field, as a final resting place of those who here gave their 
lives that that nation might live. It is altogether fitting and proper that 
we should do this. 

" But, in a larger sense, we cannot dedicate — we cannot consecrate — 
we cannot hallow — this ground. The brave men, living and dead, who 
struggled here, have consecrated it far above our poor power to add or 



The VdW of Vickvsburg 413 

detract. The world will little note nor long remember what we say here, 
but it can never forget what they did here. It is for us, the living, rather 
to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here 
have thus far so nobly advanced. It is rather for us to be here dedicated 
to the great task remaining before us — that from these honored dead we 
take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full 
measure of devotion ; that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not 
have died in vain ; that this nation, under Ciod, shall have a new birth 
of freedom ; and that government of the people, by the people, for the 
people, shall not perish from the earth." 

Questions. What did Lee decide to do? What were his hopes? 
When did he move into Pennsylvania? What general was sent out to 
check his advance? How large were the two armies? Where did they 
face each other? When and how did the battle begin? What was the 
attack of the second day ? How did the third day's battle begin? What 
was Lee's purpose on the third day ? 

Describe the charge of General Pickett and his troops. Describe the 
repulse. How many men were killed and wounded? What can you 
say of this battle? What did Lee do after the battle? 

Written Work. Write a description of Pickett's charge. 



LESSON 105 
THE FALL OF VICKSBURG 

While these events were happening in Virginia, the Con- 
federate army in the West had gradually been losing 
ground. After the battle of Shiloh and the capture of New 
Orleans, all the fortified posts along the Mississippi fell 
into the hands of the Federals except Port Hudson and 
Vicksburg. Those places stood on high bkiffs above the 
river level and were strongly defended. 

The Southern forces under Bragg marched into Kentucky 
in the summer of 1862. The movement was checked at the 
battle of Perryville in October, and Bragg established his 



414 American History 

winter quarters at Murfreesboro, about forty miles from 
Perryviiie Nashville. Here on the last days of the year 
and Mur- he was attacked by General Rosecrans. A des- 
rees oro perate three days' battle ensued, at the end of 
which Bragg had to abandon his winter quarters. 

General Grant, who was now in command of the Union 
forces in the West, turned his attention to Vicksburg, deter- 
mined to reduce that stronghold and open the 
Vicksburg ° Mississippi.^ After several battles around Vicks- 
burg the Confederates under General Pember- 
ton retired within the city. General W. T. Sherman was 
sent to watch the Confederate army in the interior, and 
Grant settled down to the long siege of Vicksburg. 

The gunboats on the river and the batteries on the land 
began a merciless fire upon the city. The bursting shells 
made a sad havoc of the buildings, and threw the people 
into a terrible panic. For protection against the exploding 
shells the terrified people made caves in the hillsides, or hid 
themselves in the cellars of their houses. There they Uved 
for days and weeks with the thunder of bursting shells and 
exploding mines constantly in their ears. 

Starvation now stared the people in the face. The sol- 
diers had only a small piece of bacon and a little musty 
bread each day. The people were reduced to eating mule 
meat, which was sold for a dollar a pound. 

* In the campaign against Vicksburg, General Nathan B. Forrest, the famous 
Confederate cavalry leader, did remarkable service in cutting the railroads in 
the rear of Grant's army, and leaving him without supplies. This greatly 
hindered his movements and saved Vicksburg from immediate capture. 
Forrest was without education and military training, but his many cavalry 
raids and his dramatic character made him one of the most conspicuous 
figures in the war. 

General Joseph E. Wheeler was also a famous Confederate cavalry leader 
in the West. His vigilance was so well known that the infantry that he 
was protecting never feared a surprise. 



The Fall of Vicksburg 4 1 5 

The dreadful siege began In May, 1863. By July the 
city was reduced to the point where it could hold out no 
longer. On July 3, General Pemberton wrote General Grant 
a note asking for terms of surrender. In the afternoon 
the two generals met, and honorable terms were agreed 
upon. 

July 4, the day that Lee began his retreat from Gettys- 
burg, Vicksburg was formally surrendered to General Grant, 
with thirty-one thousand soldiers, sixty thou- 

1 1 , 1 1 i r. J J The surrender 

sand muskets, and nearlv two hundred cannon. , „. , , 

' ■' of Vicksburg 

Five days afterwards Port Hudson surrendered, 
and the entire length of the Mississippi River was in control 
of the Federal army. President Lincoln received the news 
with great satisfaction, saying, " the Father of Waters now 
rolls unvexed to the sea." 

The capture of Vicksburg and of Port Hudson divided 
the Confederacy in two. Further supplies and provisions 
could no longer come from the West to feed the armies, 
since the Federal gunboats patroled the entire river. The 
defeat at Gettysburg and the fall of Vicksburg, coming 
almost on the same day, decided the fate of the war. 
Henceforth it was merely a question of endurance to an 
inevitable end. 

Collateral Reading. " Sam Davis," by John Trotwood Moore. 

Sam Davis. Sam Davis, a young Southern soldier, seventeen years 
old, was sent by General Bragg to find out the strength of the Federal 
fortifications in Middle Tennessee. Having procured the information, 
he was returning with important drawings in his possession. He was 
captured, and the papers were found upon him. 

Davis was condemned to be hanged as a spy. He was asked, " Who 
gave you these drawings and specifications? " Davis answered, " I re- 
ceived them from a friend." " What is his name? " " I shall not tell 
you." The officer then said, " If you will tell me his name, your life 



4 1 6 American History 

shall be spared." To this Davis indignantly replied, " Do you suppose 
1 would betray a friend to save my own life ? No ! I will die a thousand 
times first." 

To the last he was firm in his refusal to give any information. He 
died with a serene smile upon his lips, conscious of his own devotion to 
duty as a man and a soldier. 

Questions. What can you say of the Confederate army in the West ? 
What places on the Mississippi were still held by the Confederates? 
Where was Bragg's invasion of Kentucky checked? What was the result 
of the battle of Murfreesboro? What did General Grant now do? 

How did the people of V'icksburg suffer from the shells of the Federal 
batteries? Where did they go for protection? What hardships did the 
soldiers endure? What did the people do for food? When did Vicks- 
burg surrender? What other place surrendered five days later? What 
was Lincoln now able to say? What was the result of the fall of Vicks- 
burg and of Port Husdon? 

Written Work. Write a description of the hardships of the siege of 
Vicksburg. 



LESSON 106 



ULYSSES S. GRANT IN COMMAND OF THE NORTHERN 

ARMY 

General Bragg had retired from Murfreesboro to Chatta- 
nooga. General Rosecrans had followed him closely and 
compelled him to move out of that city. In 
ChickaLauga September, 1863, the great battle of Chicka- 
mauga, a few miles from Chattanooga, was fought. 
It was a desperate engagement in which the Federal army 
was saved from great disaster by the firmness of General 
Thomas, who was called the " Rock of Chickamauga." As it 
was, Rosecrans was forced into Chattanooga and was closely 
besieged by General Bragg. 

The Federal armv came near suffering the same starva- 



Ulysses S. Grant 



417 




General Ulysses S. Grant 



tion that befell the Southern army at \'icksburg. Sherman, 
however, arrived with troops, and a series of desperate battles 
occurred around Chattanooga, resulting in the defeat of Gen- 
eral Bragg. Bragg then \v'ithdrew his forces into Georgia, 
leaving Chattanooga in the hands of the Union army. 

Important changes in the command of the armies took 
place. General Grant, who had attracted much attention by 



41 8 American History 

his able generalship, was appointed to the chief command 
of all the Federal armies in the West. General Joseph E. 
General Grant Johnston, second only to Lee in his powers of 
put in com- strategy and skill as a leader, succeeded General 
"**" Bragg in command of the Southern armies in 

the West. In March, 1864, Grant was made Commander- 
in-Chief of all the forces of the United States, with the rank 
of lieutenant general. 

He was born in a log cabin, April 27, 1822, at Point Pleas- 
ant, Ohio. His father was a tanner as well as a farmer. 
Grant worked on the farm up to the time he 

Early life and , r • i. i. i 

education ^^^ seventeen years of age, going to school a 
part of the year. His father desired him to be 
a soldier, and sent him to the West Point Military Academy, 
but Grant had no taste for military life, and spent most of 
his time in reading. He did well in mathematics, however, 
and was considered the best horseman in the Academy. 
Soon after he graduated the war with Mexico broke out. 
Grant went to the field of action. In all the engagements 
during that war, he behaved with gallantry, showing himself 
to be a brave man and an able soldier. 

Four years after the Mexican War, Grant, now thirty-two 
years old, left the army and began to farm in Missouri. He 
worked very hard, never losing a day on 
^faii^r^ account of the weather. He even loaded the 
wagons with wood which he took to town for sale. 
He gave up farming after a few years' struggle against 
bad health and poor crops. During all the time he kept up 
his courage, however, and showed the strength of his charac- 
ter by hard work and unfailing cheerfulness. 

He next went into the real estate business, but with no 
greater success than had attended his farming. In i860 



Ulysses S. Grant 419 

he moved to Galena, Illinois, and took a position as clerk in 
his father's leather store. Here the opening of the war 
found him. 

When President Lincoln called for volunteers to enter the 
service of the Union, Grant enhsted and was soon made a 
brigadier general. He was thirty-eight years of age when 
he entered upon the great career that was to bring him fame 
and honors. 

General Grant was a brave and determined leader. He 
was patient in waiting and courageous in endurance. He 
never counted the cost, nor considered any 

, , , TT i J Character as 

obstacle too great to be overcome. He matured ^ soldier 
his plans carefully, and carried them out by 
weight of numbers. He believed in sheer strength of men 
and arms. This made him in the end a successful soldier. 

He had all the fine quahties of a soldier. He was noble- 
ininded and generous. His fame as the great leader of the 
Federal armies to their final victory is as enduring as the 
history of the war itself. 

Questions. When and where was the battle of Chickamauga fought ? 
How was the Federal army saved from disaster ? What can you say of 
the Federal army in Chattanooga ? Of the battles around Chattanooga ? 

Who was now placed in command of all the Northern armies? 
Who succeeded General Bragg? What can you say of Grant's early 
life ? Describe his record as a student at West Point. What was his 
record in the war with Mexico ? What success did he make at farming ? 
What business did he engage in next? What was he doing when the 
war broke out ? How old was he at this time ? What can you say of his 
character as a soldier? 

Written Work. Write your estimate of the character of General 
Grant. 



420 American History 

LESSON 107 

SHERMAN'S CAMPAIGN 

General Grant planned two great campaigns, one under 
himself against Lee in Virginia, with the purpose of cap- 
turing Richmond ; the other under Sherman against John- 
ston, with the purpose of capturing Atlanta. In this way 
Grant proposed to enfold the Confederacy within the coils 
of two mighty armies, and to end the war by a campaign of 
destruction. 

The two campaigns began at the same time in May, 1864. 
On the day after Grant crossed the Rapidan to attack 
From Chatta- General Lee, Sherman left Chattanooga, on his 
nooga to long march through the Confederate States. He 

had an army of a hundred thousand men and two 
hundred and fifty cannon. Johnston's army was half the size. 

As Sherman advanced, Johnston interposed his army at 
every point. There was sharp fighting almost every day. 
For over two months Johnston slowly retired as Sherman's 
lines threatened to flank his army. By July Johnston had 
reached Atlanta and fortified himself in the city. Sherman 
had lost about thirty-two thousand men. Johnston had 
lost about twenty-two thousand. 

At this juncture General John B. Hood was put in com- 
mand of the Confederate army, with directions to attack 
the Federals and drive them back. This Hood tried to do 
in the bloody battles around Atlanta. He failed, however, 
and then took his army into Tennessee, to threaten Sher- 
man's fine of supplies. Here his army was severely defeated 
in the battles around Nashville. This left Sherman un- 
opposed to enter Atlanta and to continue his march through 
the South. 



Sherman's Campaign 421 

It was the policy of General Sherman to bring the war to 
a close by making the South " feel the hard hand of war." 
When he set out on his " March to the Sea," he set fire to 
the city of Atlanta, and out of four thousand houses, only 
four hundred were left standing. 

With sixty thousand men Sherman set out for Savannah. 
His army covered a front of forty miles, and the soldiers 
lived on the country as they moved. Farm- 

... 11 The march 

houses, gm houses, cotton crops were burned ; ^^ ^j^^ ^^^ 

horses, cows, hogs, sheep, were killed for the sol- 
diers' use, or left dead in the fields ; barns were rifled of their 
contents ; slaves were carried away ; railroads were destroyed 
by tearing up the tracks, heating the rails, and twisting 
them around trees. Sherman estimated the damage done to 
the State of Georgia at about one hundred milHon dollars. 

From Savannah Sherman turned through South Carolina, 
and thence on to Goldsboro, N.C. Following his army was 
a crowd of stragglers that did more damage than the soldiers 
themselves. They were called the " bummers of the army." 
At Columbia, S.C, a few of the soldiers and bummers broke 
into the saloons, became drunk, and lost all restraint. 
Nothing could stay them. The city was set on fire and 
was soon reduced to a heap of ruins. ^ 

Sherman's army marched eight hundred miles in six 
months, and cut a path of destruction and desolation through 
the heart of the South. Often in the wake of his army the 

1 In regard to the burning of Columbia, ever since the occurrence there 
has been a difference of opinion as to whether General Sherman ordered, or 
consented to, the unfortunate affair. General Sherman insists that it was done 
by "the bummers of the army." The people of Columbia are strong in 
their belief that he was aware of the intention of his soldiers, that it was a 
prearranged affair, and that nothing was done to prevent it. In any event, 
it appears to have been an unnecessary and an unfortunate destruction of a 
large part of a beautiful city. 



422 American History 

people were glad to eat the corn left by his horses. It was 
his purpose to join Grant in Virginia and unite their forces 
against Lee. Johnston had been recalled to his old com- 
mand. Sherman marched on, opposed only by the small 
army of Johnston. At Goldsboro, N.C., the two armies 
rested facing each other, and awaiting the events in Virginia. 

Questions. What two great campaigns did Grant plan ? What was 
his purpose? When did the two campaigns begin? How large was 
Sherman's army? How large was Johnston's army? Describe the 
progress of Sherman toward Atlanta. What change took, place in the 
Southern army? What became of Hood's army? 

What was Sherman's policy? Describe the march to the sea. 
What happened in Columbia? Where did Sherman's army go? 
What can you say of his path through the South? What can you say 
of his engagement with Johnston ? 

"Written Work. Write a description of the march to the sea. 



LESSON 108 
GRANT AND LEE IN VIRGINIA 

General Grant, with an army of one hundred and twenty 
thousand men, and with abundance of provisions and stores 
of all kinds, had moved against General Lee's ragged and half- 
starved army of sixty thousand, at the time that Sherman 
was on the march through the South. Grant had resolved 
to overwhelm his antagonist by force of numbers, and wear 
him out by exhausting his army and destrojdng his supplies. 

In May, 1864, Grant crossed the Rapidan and plunged into 
the tangled swamps and dense forest known as " The Wil- 
Battiesin derness." Here for two days the battle raged 
"The so fiercely that saplings and even trees were cut 

Wilderness " ^^^^ ^^ ^^^ ^^^^ bullets. Grant lost so many 

men that he changed his plan of direct attack, and tried to 



Grant and Lee in Virginia 423 

move around Lee's army to seize Spottsylvania Court House. 
Lee, however, easily detected his plan, and interposed his 
army again between Grant and Richmond. Here another 
assault on Lee's line occurred, but without serious result. 
Grant in two weeks had lost forty thousand men, about two 
thirds as many as Lee had in his whole army. He said, 
however, he " intended to fight it out on this line if it took 
all summer." 

Lee fell back to Cold Harbor and intrenched his forces. 
Grant hurled his army of one hundred thousand men against 
the Confederate Hues. The result was easily 

■' Cold Harbor 

foreseen. His men fell by the thousand, while 
Lee's loss was insignificant. Grant now moved around to 
the south of Richmond and laid siege to Petersburg. He 
had resolved to shut the Confederate army up in that place 
until they were compelled by exhaustion to surrender. 

The siege lasted two months. The Federals dug a mine 
under one of the Confederate forts and placed nine thousand 
pounds of powder in it. It was exploded with ter- 
rible effect. Tons of earth were thrown into pgt^ersbur * 
the air, while human bodies and pieces of artil- 
lery were scattered in every direction. The Federals rushed 
in to complete the work of destruction, but the Confederates 
recovered their wits in time to catch the Federal troops in 
the crater formed by the explosion. The place became a 
slaughter-house. In a few hours the Union army had lost 
three or four thousand men. 

General Lee had sent a detachment of troops under Gen- 
eral Early to threaten Washington. General Early 
moved up the valley of the Shenandoah River. Driving 
everything before him he came almost to the gates of the 
national capital, but was compelled to return. 



424 



American History 



Sheridan in 
the Valley 



Grant sent Sheridan in haste to intercept Early and thwart 
his movements. This Sheridan succeeded in doing by the 
battle of Winchester. He then set out to devas- 
tate the Valley of the Shenandoah so that 
no army could possibly live in it. He destroyed 
growing crops, mills, barns, bridges, farm implements, and 
drove off all the stock. He so completely ravaged the 

valley that thousands of families 
were reduced to want, and over 
that fertile section was a scene 
of pitiable desolation. He said, 
" A crow flying over the valley 
would have to take his rations." 
As the siege of Petersburg con- 
tinued, the armies of the Confeder- 
Theexhaus- ^cy grew weaker and 
tion of the weaker. Admiral Far- 

Confederacy ^^^^^ ^^^ ^^^^^^^ 

Mobile Bay and destroyed the 

Confederate gunboats at that 

place. ^ The blockade was more 

rigid than ever. Everything was 

directs the entry of his ships scarce, and almost the last man 

into Mobile Bay ^^^ ^^^^ drafted for the Southern 

army. Lee's forces around Petersburg grew fewer and fewer, 

until at last he had only about thirty-live thousand men. 

1 When Farragut was engaged in the battle of Mobile Bay, the smoke 
obscured his view of the ships to such an extent that he climbed into the rigging 
to get a better position to command. While there an officer followed him 
and lashed his body to the rigging to prevent an accident. From that point 
he gave his orders to those below. At one time they cried out, "Torpedoes! 
Torpedoes !" to which the Admiral answered sharply, "Never mind the torpe- 
does. Full steam ahead." 




Farragut, lashed to the rigging, 



Grant and Lee in Virginia 425 

In March, 1865, an attack was made on the federal fort, 
Stedman, in front of Petersburg, by Gen. John B. Gordon. 
It was a gallant charge, by which three hundred Confeder- 
ates captured the fort and one thousand prisoners with the 
loss of less than six men. The fort could not be held, 
however, in the face of an overwhelming enemy. 

In April, 1865, Grant made a determined attack all along 
the lines around Petersburg. The lines were broken, and 
Lee saw that Richmond must soon fall into the hands of the 
Federals. He telegraphed to President Davis that the city 
must be evacuated. 

President Davis and his cabinet quietly left Richmond on 
their way South. Many citizens also prepared to depart, 
and in the confusion fire broke out, and a large part of the 
city was laid in ashes. The Federal forces soon entered the 
city, and the news of its capture was telegraphed throughout 
the North and Europe. It was almost the last act in the 
great drama of the war. 

Collateral Reading. " Sheridan's Ride," by Thomas Buchanan 
Read. 

Questions. How large an army did Grant have in his march against 
Lee in Virginia? How large was Lee's army? Describe the battles in 
"The Wilderness." What happened at Spottsylvania Court House? 
What did Grant say? What happened at Cold Harbor? What siege 
now began? Describe the incident of the mine at Petersburg. What 
did General Early do? Describe Sheridan's raid in the Valley of the 
Shenandoah. What did he say of it? 

What was now the condition of the Southern armies? What had 
Farragut done ? What hardships did Lee's men endure? Describe the 
attack on Fort Stedman. When were Lee's lines broken? What 
did President Davis do? What happened in Richmond? 

Written Work. Write an account of the Petersburg mine. 



426 American History 

LESSON 109 
THE END OF THE WAR 

Lee's army was reduced to a mere handful of men, desti- 
tute of everything, and hemmed in on all sides by the over- 
whelming forces of Grant. To continue the struggle in the 
face of such odds would be sheer madness. Accordingly, 
the two great commanders met by appointment, April 9, 
1865, in a farmhouse near Appomattox Court House to 
arrange terms of surrender. 

General Lee was dressed in full uniform, which was quite 

new, and wore a sword of great value. General Grant wore 

a rough soldier's blouse for a coat, with straps 

Surrender of indicate his rank. He was without sword. 

General Lee 

General Lee was accompanied by a single officer 
only. The two generals had known each other in the 
Mexican War, and began to talk over old times. Lee was 
a man of great dignity, and his face did not betray whether 
he was glad the great conflict was over, or sad at the result 
of the war. 

General Lee said, " I have asked for this interview in 
order to ascertain the terms upon which you would receive 
the surrender of my army." Grant replied, " Your soldiers 
will lay down their arms and not take them up again during 
the war." Nothing was said about the surrender of side- 
arms, horses, or private property. Grant wrote out the 
terms, which Lee signed and handed back to him. 

Grant then said, " Your men will need their horses to 
work on their Httle farms, and I will instruct my officers to 
let every man who claims a horse or mule take it home with 
him." Lee expressed his gratification at this, and after a few 
minutes' conversation on other matters, Lee remarked, " I shall 



The End of the War 



427 




General Lee surrenders at Appomattox Court House, April 9, 1865 



428 American History 

be glad to send all my prisoners into your lines, for I have 
no provisions for them. I have indeed nothing for my own 
men. They have been living for the past few days on 
parched corn, and we are badly in need of both rations and 
forage." Grant at once proposed to supply Lee's veterans 
with food from his own stores. 

The two generals then separated cordially, and each went 
back to his own men. The Federal soldiers then began to 
fire a salute of a hundred guns in honor of the victory. 
Grant promptly put an end to this, saying, " The Confeder- 
ates are now our prisoners, and we do not wish to exult in 
their downfall." . 

General Lee returned to his men and informed them 
of the surrender, and said to them in great sadness, '' We 
have fought the war together, and I have done the best I 
could for you." The old soldiers crowded around him to 
take his hand. As he rode along the lines, every cap was 
raised in silence, and tears ran down the bronzed cheeks 
of the hardened men. 

Within a few weeks Johnston surrendered his army to 
Sherman. Other armies in the South and West laid down 
their arms, and the war was over. The soldiers on both 
sides quietly dispersed to their homes, and settled down to 
peaceful pursuits. 

Great was the rejoicing in the North when it was known 
that Lee had surrendered. President Lincoln at once con- 
Assassination sidered plans for the treatment of the Southern 
of President States, and for their return to the Union. After 
Lincoln ^ ^^^^^ ^^ j^^^.^^ work, on April 14, less than a 

week after the news had come of the end of the war, he 
went to Ford's Theater, and was seated in a box with his 
family and friends. An actor, John Wilkes Booth, stole 



The End of the War 429 

into the box behind the President and shot him in the 
head. 

Leaping on to the stage the assassin brandished a dagger 
and cried out, "Sic semper tyrannis." ("Thus always to 
tyrants.") The audience was too horror-stricken to act 
promptly. 

The murderer escaped by the rear of the stage, leaped 
on a horse that was ready saddled and waiting, and made 
his way into Maryland and then into Virginia, where he was 
killed while resisting arrest. 

President Lincoln was removed to a house near by and 
died the day after he was wounded. Secretary Stanton, 
who was standing by his bedside, said, " Now he belongs to 
the ages." His death was a national calamity, coming at a 
time when his wise counsels and generous impulses were 
sorely needed in the reconstruction of the seceding States. 

In the meantime President Davis had left Richmond, and 
was rapidly making his way southward. He was finally 
overtaken in Georgia by a body of Federal cav- capture of 
airy, and carried captive to Fortress Monroe. President 
Here he was kept a close prisoner for two years, ^^'^ 
until he was released on bail. After his release President 
Davis went to his farm in Mississippi, where he lived in 
dignified retirement until his death in 1889, beloved and 
honored by a grateful people. 

The war finally settled the policy of secession. Hence- 
forth the Union shall be unbroken, the United States shall 
be one nation, and the people shall have one purpose and 
one destiny. The Nation has outgrown the possibiHty of 
division. 

The war also settled the question of slavery. Over all 
our land no man is held in bondage to another. The negroes 



43° 



American History 



of iho South arc t'lw. anil niasti-r ami sla\o alike aiv ivliovoil 
of the huiilcn of owiuMship. 

Collateral Reading. " (> (aptaiii ! My l\ii»(aiii ! " In- Wall Whitman. 

Questions. \\ hat was lunv tho loinlilioii of Loo's army? Whou and 
whoro dill Iav and liraiit moot to arranjjo tormsof surrender? Describe 
the soone of the surrondor. What tiid \.vc say to drant? What did 
(.Irani reply? What (Hd I'irant say alnnit the horses and mules? What 
ilid 1,00 s;i\ al>out llio prisonois? What jionorous olTer did Grant make? 
How did (.Irani suppross iho foohnj: oi his own soldiers? I")escribe Lee's 
return to !\is mon. Wiial liooamo oi tho ollior armies of the South? 

Hesorihe the assassination of rrosidonl Linooln. Dosoriho the cap- 
ture of rrosidonl Davis. What two things wore selllod by the war? 

Written Work. \\ lilo an account of the surrender of (.'lonond Lee. 



LESSON 110 
HARDSHIP AND HEROISM 

War is a cruel ihinj;- at l>cst. \'ast sums of money must 
be cxiHMnlcd, thousands oi men must be cni:;a!.ieil. millions 
of dollats of pioperty must be ilcstroyeil, and tho homes of 
the people maile ilcsolate by the death of brave men. Let 
us hope that nations will learn to settle their ilitTcrences 
in other ways than by the slaughter of soUliers and the 
destruction o\ property. 

It is almost impossible [o tell the cost of the war. It 

nise at one time on the I'nion side to three million dollars a 

ila\-. Counting the value of the liberated slaves. 

r 1*^*"" the loss b\- ravaging armies, and the peitsion 

of tlie war . r> v-^ t 

since \\ud to the soldiers, the war probably 
represents a cost oi ten billion dollars. 

From tirst to last nearly three million men were engaged 
in buttle. The losses in single encounters and short cam- 



Hardship and Heroism 431 

paigns were at. liincs ;i|>j);illiii^, equal in number to a small 
army. Over six iMiiidrcd lliousaiHJ s<j]fli(-rs were killed in 
battle, or dicl from wcjurids and disease during.'; the four 
years oi the war. 

'I'he suffering was gn-att-r at the South where the war liad 
maiidy heen fought. 'I'h(; Southern peojjle ;ifler the sur- 
render (){ their army found themselves almost ^, ^ . 

-^ . The Bunering 

destitute, their money was valueless, their hanks 

had been wrecked, their railroads destroyed ; their fiehJs were 

unpliiiiled, and their slaves h;id hecn set fre('. 

In some jjlaces wide regions of country had been laid 
waste, mills and gin houses burn(;d, sto( k killed or carried 
off, and many a line,- ()\<\ mansion left a }ie;i.j> (A smoking 
ruins. The war bore hard uj>on the Scjulhcrn pcojjle and 
left them in a sad state of descjlation. 

The close blockade of the Southern jjorts by the T'ederal 
vessels harl caused great hardshij>. Salt es[)e( ially l^ecame 
scarce. Sea water was boih.-d down, ar>d even 
the ground of smokehou.ses where meat had guppj^gg 
been kept was dug up and boiled to get the 
salt out of tlic dirt. Coffee and tea were rare, and substi- 
tutes such as parched corn anrj j)otatoes were used. Medi- 
cine, woolen cloth, paper, cutlery, and indc.c.cl all the articles 
the Southern fjeo[;le were accustomed lo buy, were hard 
to get, since they could only be had by running the 
blockade. 

For clothing, the people flefjenrled on cotton, which they 
made into homespun doth, frequently by means of hand 
looms. There was no lack of corn, rice, sugar, ^, ,. 

' ' ^ ' Clothing 

sirup, tobacco, and other products that were 

raised in the South. Often the Northern soldiers lacked some 

of the things the Southern soldiers had, and out on the picket 



432 American History 

lines when all was quiet they would meet and swap coffee 
and knives for sugar and tobacco. 

Confederate money fell off in value as the war advanced. 
It took quantities of it to buy anything. A yard of calico 

cost $50, a hat cost $300, a barrel of flour cost 
money S400, a pair of boots cost $800, and a horse cost 

several thousand. All this time the pay of a 
soldier was eleven dollars a month, about enough to buy a 
loaf of bread. When the war closed Confederate money 
ceased to have any value. Now it is regarded as a curiosity, 
or is kept as a souvenir of the war. 

The women did their part nobly in the war. In the 
North societies were formed to collect hospital supplies and 

to send nurses to look after the wounded on the 

The women 

battlefields and the sick in the hospitals. In 
the South the women were brave and uncomplaining amidst 
the great suffering. They were left behind to care for the 
farms and look after the slaves, in whose fidelity they placed 
perfect faith. They knitted socks, made shirts, and prepared 
lint and bandages for the soldiers. They cut up their car- 
pets and curtains to turn them into clothing and comforts for 
those on the battlefield. They sent their own blankets, 
bedding, and towels to the hospitals. The women were as 
brave at home as the soldiers were on the field of battle. 

Nor should wc forget the faithful conduct of the negroes, 
and their devotion to those left in their care. Over a mil- 
The negroes ^^°^ slaves toiled in the fields all day long to 
during the make the crops that fed the Southern armies. 
^" If they had refused to work, the Southern armies 

would have starved. If they had risen in insurrection, or 
threatened the homes of the soldiers, every army would of 
necessity have been disbanded. 



Hardship and Heroism 433 

Collateral Reading. " Hammer and Rapier," by John Esten Cooke. 
" Mohun," by John Esten Cooke. " Two Little Confederates," by 
Thomas Nelson Page. " The Old Man and Jim," poem by James 
Whitcomb Riley. " The Blue and the Gray," poem by Francis M. Finch, 

Prisoners. During the war the Confederates in Northern prisons 
numbered 220,000. The Federals in Southern prisons have been vari- 
ously estimated from 127,000 to 270,000. At first the prisoners were 
exchanged man for man, but toward the end of the war the exchange of 
prisoners was discontinued by the North. Consequently the war prisons 
North and South became crowded. Disease followed the need of com- 
forts and the lack of care. Sickness and death made every prison a 
hospital and fiUed many a grave. The suffering of all prisoners on both 
sides was distressing. 

The suffering in Southern prisons was, of course, unavoidable. The 
Confederate soldiers in the field were almost unfed and unclothed, and 
all Federal prisoners were given the same kind and quantity of food and 
clothing that were issued to the Confederate soldiers. There was no 
medicine and no nourishing food for the sick. It could not be obtained. 
Consequently at the end of 1864 all Federal prisoners were offered to 
the North free of exchange, since it was impossible longer to maintain 
them. The condition of war prisoners North and South is one of the 
saddest and most distressing incidents of the war. (For further discus- 
sions of prisoners of war, see speech of Benjamin H. Hill of Georgia on 
the General Amnesty Bill in House of Representatives, Jan. 11, 1876 ; see 
also Memorandum of War Department under date of March 12, 1908.) 

Questions. What can you say of war? To what sum did the cost 
rise at one time on the Union side? How much did the war probably 
cost ? How many men were engaged in battle ? How many men were 
killed or died from wounds and disease? What suffering did the 
Southern people endure? What became scarce? How did the people 
get salt? What did they do for clothing? Of what was there no lack? 

What can you say of Confederate money? Name some prices. 
What can you say of the women in the war? Describe the conduct 
of the negroes. 

Written Work. Write an account of some of the hardships endured 
during the war, 



PERIOD OF REUNION 



LESSON 111 
PLANS FOR RECONSTRUCTION 

A few hours after the death of Abraham Lincoln, Vice 
President Andrew Johnson took the oath of office and became 
President of the United States. 

Like Lincoln himself, President Johnson had come from 
the common people. He was born in North CaroHna, but 
Andrew ^^ early life had moved to Tennessee. He had 

Johnson, but Httle education, and that he had gained by 

his own efforts. It is said that when he mar- 
ried he could scarcely read, and that his wife helped him 
learn to write. He was a tailor by trade, and was indus- 
trious and ambitious. 

The great question before the country was what to do 
with the Southern States. They desired to become again 
a part of the United States and to have the union of all 
the States restored. This restoration of the seceded States 
to their places in the Union was called " reconstruction." 

It had been President Lincoln's plan to accomplish this 
reconstruction with as much ease and with as little delay 
Lincoln's ^^ possible. He had outhned a generous policy 

plan of re- towards the Southern States, maintaining that 
they had never been really out of the Union, 
but only "out of practical relations with the government." 

President Johnson, under the influence of Lincoln's cabi- 
net, readily undertook to carry out the mild and wise pur- 
poses of his predecessor. In May, 1865, he issued a procla- 

434 



Plans for Reconstruction 435 

mation of pardon to nearly all those engaged in the war. 
There were a few persons excepted, but these could obtain 
pardon by applying for it. 

During the same year Congress proposed the Thirteenth 
Amendment to the Constitution. This amendment prohib- 
ited slavery everywhere in the United States, ^j^^ 
and in every place subject to the Constitution of Thirteenth 
the United States. It was submitted to all the Amendment 
States, and being agreed to by the necessary three fourths, 
became part of the Constitution. 

Following the advice of the President, most of the 
Southern States had called conventions, repealed their ordi- 
nances of secession, adopted the Thirteenth Amendment to 
the Constitution, and some of them had declared the war 
debt null and void. Governments had been Action of the 
organized, and senators and representatives to Southern 
Congress had been elected. The soldiers had *^*^^ 
taken the oath of allegiance to the United States govern- 
ment, and all the officials of the States, who were permitted 
to do so, had accepted pardon from the general government. 

In this way the people of the South, instead of sulking 
over their defeat, came forward manfully and cheerfully, 
willing to do their part towards restoring the Union. 

Congress, however, was not content with the mild meas- 
ures of the President. There were leaders who thought 
the South should be considered conquered ter- 
ritory and treated accordingly. Thereupon the con"ress° 
newly elected senators and representatives from 
the Southern States were denied seats in Congress. A 
committee was appointed to inquire into the condition of 
the Southern States and see whether any of them were 
entitled to representation in Congress. 



436 American History 

Congress now made a number of laws for the protection 
of the negroes of the South. Among these was the law 
establishing the Freedmen's Bureau, of which we shall learn 
more in another lesson. 

The most pronounced of the measures, however, was the 
Fourteenth Amendment to the Constitution, which made the 
j^^ negro a citizen, and extended to him all the pro- 

Fourteenth tection of the laws. At the same time it placed 

en ment ^ penalty on any State that passed laws denying 
any citizen the right to vote, by reducing the number of 
representatives which that State should have in Congress in 
proportion to the persons denied the right of voting. This 
Amendment was proposed in 1866, but was not declared a 
part of the Constitution until 1868. 

All the Southern States were required to adopt the 
Fourteenth Amendment before they could be admitted to 
the Union. Tennessee came forward at once in 1866, and, 
agreeing to the Amendment, was declared again a member 
of the United States. 

Questions. Who became President after the death of Lincoln? 
What can you say of the early life of Johnson ? What was his education ? 
What was the great question before the country? What did the Southern 
States desire? What was meant by "reconstruction"? What was 
Lincoln's policy towards the South? What did Johnson undertake? 
What proclamation did he issue in 1865? What was the Thirteenth 
Amendment? What had most of the Southern States done? What 
can you say of the soldiers and officials of the States? What was the 
attitude of some of the leaders in Congress? What can you say of 
the newly elected senators and representatives from the Southern States? 
What laws were proposed ? What was the purpose of the Fourteenth 
Amendment? What was the action of Tennessee? 

Written Work. Write the purposes of the Thirteenth Amendment 
to the Constitution ; of the Fourteenth Amendment. 



A Crisis with the President 437 

LESSON 112 
A CRISIS WITH THE PRESIDENT 

President Johnson was by no nieans a mild-mannered 
man. His plans for reconstruction had not been approved 
by Congress, and thereupon he engaged in a bitter quarrel 
with the leaders of his party. In political speeches he 
abused the members of Congress, and spoke with unsparing 
harshness of the measures they proposed. 

Congress proceeded to reconstruct the Southern States 
upon its own plans. The bills passed for that purpose were 
promptly vetoed by the President. The measures, how- 
ever, were at once made laws by being passed over his veto. 

The ten Southern States that were still out of the Union 
were, in 1867, placed under mihtary rule. They were 
organized into five mihtary districts, in each jy^jutary 
of which was placed an army with a military command in 
governor in command. Within a year and a * ^ °"* 
half seven of the Southern States had agreed to the demands 
of Congress, had adopted the Fourteenth Amendment, and 
their representatives had been admitted to Congress. 

In 1869 Congress proposed the Fifteenth Amendment, 
designed to secure to the negroes the right to vote. It was 
submitted to all the States for ratification. It ^j^^ 
was finally agreed to by the Southern States, and Fifteenth 
in 1870 was declared part of the Constitution. Amendment 
In January, 1871, Georgia, the last State to be recon- 
structed, was readmitted to the Union.' 

' Benjamin H. Hill of Georgia expressed the sentiment of the Southern 
people in his great speech in Congress on the General Amnesty Bill, when 
he said : — ■ 

"There are no Confederates in this house; there are no Confederates 
anywhere; there are no Confederate schemes, ambitions, hopes, desires or 



438 American History 

Thus, after four years of war and nearly six years of 
unhappy quarrels and dissensions, the Southern States were 
again a part of the Union. 

In the meanwhile the quarrel between President Johnson 
and Congress had deepened, and become very personal. 
Congress had passed a Tenure of OfiEice Bill which forbade 
the President to dismiss from office any official of the gov- 
ernment whose appointment had been confirmed by the 
Senate, without first asking the consent of the Senate. 
The Act was directed at President Johnson, who had 
requested the resignation of Secretary Stanton from his 
cabinet, which resignation Stanton had refused to give. 

Johnson ignored the Act of Congress and attempted to dis- 
miss Stanton from office. Congress thereupon impeached 
Impeachment ^^^ President for violating the Constitution, and 
of President for not Upholding the laws as he had sworn to 
Jo nson ^^ j^ j^jg oath of office. The Senate tries all 

cases of impeachment, and the Chief Justice presides at 
the trial. It requires a two-thirds vote of all the senators 
to convict. The trial of President Johnson lasted nearly 
two months (1868), and the whole country looked on with 
deep interest. The ablest lawyers defended him, and the 
ablest senators opposed him. 

The day the vote was counted the galleries were packed 
with people. Every senator, as the roll was called, stood in 
his place and voted. As the roll call proceeded the silence 
was intense. At the end it was found that the President 
was acquitted by one vote. Thereupon, Secretary Stanton 
resigned his office. 

purposes here. But the South is here, and here she intends to remain. The 
South will never again seek a remedy in the madness of another secession. 
We are here ; we are in the house of our fathers, our brothers are our com- 
panions, and we are at home to stay, thank God ! " 



A Crisis with the President 



439 



It was during Johnson's administration (1867), that Alaska 
was purchased from Russia for $7,200,000. At that time 
it was supposed to be only a dreary, ice-locked 

. . . r- 1 r 1 J u Purchase of 

mountamous region, fit only tor seals and bears, p^^^^^^ 
Several congressmen openly opposed the pur- 
chase, saying: "What can we do with that refrigerator?" 
We have since found that Alaska has wonderful mines of 
gold, and that the seal fisheries alone are worth far more 
than the land cost us. 




The Yukon River, Alaska, as it appears in summer 

The boundary line between Alaska and the British pos- 
sessions remained uncertain for a number of years after the 
purchase. When gold was discovered in the Klondike 
region it became necessary to definitely establish the correct 
boundary. The United States and Great Britain submitted 
the matter to a commission, which in 1903 established the 
boundaries. This line was accepted by both governments. 



440 American History 

Questions. What quarrel began in 1865? What did Johnson do? 
What did Congress proceed to do with the Southern States? What did 
the President veto? Into what were the ten Southern States organ- 
ized in 1867? How were they governed? What happened in a year 
and a half? What was the Fifteenth Amendment? When was the 
last Southern State readmitted into the Union? What was the quarrel 
between the President and Congress? What was the Tenure of Office 
Bill? Whose resignation had the President requested ? How did John- 
son now act? What did Congress do? How are impeachment trials 
conducted? Describe the trial of President Johnson. What was the 
result ? 

What can you say of the purchase of Alaska ? What was thought of 
it at the time? What have we since found out? What boundary line 
was estabhshed, and how? 

Written Work. Write an account of the impeachment and trial 
of President Johnson. 



LESSON 113 
CONDITIONS IN THE SOUTH AFTER THE WAR 

The first few years after the war are known as " The 
Reconstruction Period." In the North business went on as 
before ; in the South the people had to face new conditions. 
The negroes were no longer slaves who had to work ; they 
were free to work or not as they chose. 

Most of them stayed on the farms and worked for wages. 
There were some, however, who wandered idly from place 
to place, and became a menace to the peace of 
afte/thT^wa^r ^^^ country. Soon they had no money, no food, 
and nobody to care for them. Some of them 
became vicious, and even thought they could take by force 
what they needed. 

To protect themselves against these idle and lawless 



Conditions in the South 441 

negroes, who were often led away by evil white men, a 
secret order known as the " Ku Klux Klan " 
was formed by the white people of the South, j^j^^ ^ 
Its members met in the woods or on the out- 
skirts of the town. They wore masks and hideous disguises, 
and had a password and secret signs. Whenever a bad 
negro or white man began to give trouble a sign was nailed 
on his door, or a note was sent to him, ordering him to leave 
the community or suffer the consequences. 

The " Ku Klux " riders were a great terror to the 
negroes. Whenever they appeared, the frightened blacks 
scurried to their cabins. The threats of this organiza- 
tion held the negroes in check, kept them in their houses, 
forced the evil ones to behave, and made the idle ones 
work. 

The general government took a hand in this state of 
affairs. " The Freedmen's Bureau " was established. Its 
purpose was to aid negroes in purchasing lands, 
to teach them the duties of citizenship, to make ^g^.g Bureau 
them work, to protect them in their contracts, 
and to provide hospitals for the sick and helpless. Schools 
were established and teachers employed to teach the negroes 
to read and write. Altogether there was a general desire 
on the part of right-thinking people everywhere to help the 
South bear the burden of the negro population, demorahzed 
and helpless in its new-found freedom. 

But there were evil influences at work at the same time. 
Unfortunately, there came into the South many adventurers 
who saw their chance to make money and get 
into office by deluding the negroes. They were bagge"^^ 
called " carpet-baggers," because it was said 
they carried all they had in a carpet-bag. They stirred up 



442 American History 

the negroes to assert their rights, to get into office, and to 
make all they could out of the situation. 

Not all the people who came South were carpet-baggers, 
but there were many who came as such, and they made 
conditions all the more difficult. At a time when the laws 
excluded many white men from voting and holding office, 
the negroes were organized into political clubs, and many of 
them, as well as many of the carpet-baggers themselves, were 
elected to high offices in the state. 

Negroes who a few years before had been field hands, and 
who were unable to read or write, now became judges. 
The rule of legislators, and justices of the peace. Every 
the carpet- legislature in the South had negro members, 
aggers .^^^^ ^^ some States they outnumbered the white 

members. Old laws were repealed and new ones, calling for 
the expenditure of large sums of money, were passed. It 
was a carnival of plunder. Taxes were doubled, while prop- 
erty fell off rapidly in value. 

For a number of years this state of misrule and disorder 
continued. The negroes were influenced by bad white men, 
and, being ignorant, went into excesses, hardly knowing 
what harm they were doing. 

It has taken many years and much patience to bring order 
out of this condition. The negroes are being educated 
slowly, and are settling down into their true 
of tV"d^a^y°^^ places as hard-working and orderly citizens. 
They have learned not to expect social equality 
with white people, but have formed a society of their own and 
recognize the fact that their future is chiefly in their own 
hands. They have all the liberty they need to work in any 
position for which they are titted. They have the protection 
of the laws, the goodwill of their former masters, and the 



Conditions in the South 443 

help of all people everywhere to make of themselves an 
independent, orderly, and respected race. 

A Negro Legislature. Probably the most notable of the recon- 
struction excesses was the condition in South Carolina when the " carpet- 
baggers " and the negroes had possession of the legislature. In four 
years the state debt was increased from five to eighteen million dollars. 
The taxes increased from one-half a million to two million dollars. The 
legislators fitted up the halls with clocks that cost six hundred dollars 
apiece ; with spittoons at eight dollars each ; with sofas at two hundred 
dollars each ; with desks at one hundred and seventy-five dollars each ; 
with mirrors at six hundred dollars each. In four years two hundred 
thousand dollars were spent for furniture, and over one hundred thousand 
dollars were spent in maintaining a bar and restaurant. Similar con- 
ditions prevailed elsewhere in the South. 

Questions. What were the conditions North and South just after 
the war? What was the condition of the negroes? What did some of 
them do ? How did the white people of the South undertake to protect 
themselves? Describe the Ku Klux Klan? What effect did it have 
on the negroes? 

What was the purpose of the Freedmen's Bureau? In what other 
Ways were the negroes helped? What was the general desire? Who 
were the " carpet-baggers "? Into what were the negroes organized? 
Describe the negro as a legislator. What can you say of the present con- 
dition of the negro ? 

Written Work. Write a description of the " carpet-bagger." 



444 American History 

LESSON 114 
PRESIDENT U. S. GRANT 

In 1869 General U. S. Grant was inaugurated President. 
In his letter of acceptance of the nomination as a candidate, 
General ^^ ^^^^ • " ^^^ ^^ have peace ! " ^ It was his 

Grant, desirc, as it was of all good people, that the 

resi ent nation should recover, as rapidly as possible, 
from the ravages of war. He was in office for two terms, 
— a period of eight years. 

During his first term the Fifteenth Amendment to the 
Constitution was proposed by Congress and accepted by all 
the States, and the reconstruction of the Southern States 
was completed, as we have already learned. The Alabama 
claims were also settled, of which we studied in a former 
lesson (see page 389). 

In October, 1871, the city of Chicago was almost destroyed 

by fire. For two days the fire raged, burning an area of 

nearly five square miles. About thirty thousand 

Chicago fire . . 

buildings were burned ; one hundred thousand 

people were made homeless, and two hundred million dollars' 

worth of property was destroyed. Chicago is a great and 

brave city, however, and the fires had not ceased burning 

before the work of rebuilding began. 

During the same year great forest fires raged in the 

Northwest. Entire villages were swept away, and hundreds 

of lives were lost. In November, 1872, a de- 
Boston fire . r 

structive fire occurred m Boston. Many blocks 

of business houses were burned and eighty million dollars' 

worth of property was lost. 

' General Grant is buried in a magnificent tomb on the banks of the 
Hudson River in New York City. The words, "Let us have peace," are 
inscribed over the entrance. 



President U. S. Grant 



445 



Panic of 



To these losses by fire were added the losses by wild 
speculation and reckless enterprises. Great railroads were 
building in the West, and many people were 
investing in rash undertakings, hoping to get ^g"^ 
rich quickly. The result is always the same. 
A large banking house in Philadelphia failed ; a panic 
ensued in 1873 that brought ruin to thousands of business 
houses, and loss of 
employment to hun- 
dreds of thousands 
of workmen. 

It was an era of 
fraud as well as of 
speculation. During 
President Grant's sec- 
ond term it was dis- 
covered that a num- 
ber of of- 

£ . , • The Whisky 

ficials m Rj„g 
the rev- 
enue service had been 
bribed by the manu- 
facturers of whisky, 
or the "Whisky 
Ring," to defraud 
the government. 
Together they had 
cheated the govern- 
ment out of four ^^'^^90 **'as nearly destroyed by fire, in 1871 

million dollars. Grant said with the directness of a soldier, 
" Let no guilty man escape." Over two hundred persons 
were convicted and punished. 




446 American History 

Other frauds were unearthed. Several members of Con- 
gress were accused of accepting bribes from railway com- 
panies for their influence in securing favorable legislation. 
Large blocks of stock were placed " where they would do 
the most good." Great frauds were discovered in the con- 
duct of the city government of New York. The guilty 
parties were all brought to trial and received their just 
punishment. 

The money question demanded consideration. The war 
had cost large sums, and a great deal of paper money was 
Resumption ^^ circulation. In order to make the paper 
of specie money of any value, its payment in gold or 

payments silver had to be guaranteed by the government. 
Many laws were passed by Congress to meet the situation, 
the most notable of which was the one of 1875, which 
declared that all paper money should be redeemed in specie 
— that is, in gold or silver — when presented at the treasury 
for that purpose. 

This law went into effect in 1879, and was known as " the 
resumption of specie payments." Its effect was to make 
paper money as good as gold or silver. 

At the close of Grant's administration (1876) a Centennial 
Exposition was held in Philadelphia. It was designed to 
celebrate the one hundredth anniversary of the 
Exposutn independence of the United States. Every 
State in the Union, and forty-three countries 
of the old world, contributed to make the Fair a magnificent 
display of the products of field and factory. Millions of 
visitors viewed the exhibits. It was a convincing evidence 
that peace and prosperity had returned to the nation. 

In this year (1876) Colorado was admitted to the Union. 
It is called the "Centennial State." 



Presidents Hayes and Garfield 447 

Massacre of Custer. In the summer of 1876 the Sioux Indians of 
Dakota, Montana, and Wyoming refused to be assigned to their reser- 
vations, and also made war on tribes friendly to the United States. Under 
their chiefs. Sitting Bull, Crazy Horse, and others, they began to raid 
territory that was not their own. A body of regular troops was sent out 
to reduce them to order. Lieutenant-Colonel George A. Custer, with 
six hundred men, made a detour in pursuit of Sitting Bull, and came 
upon him in the valley of the Little Big Horn River. Custer had dis- 
missed many of his troops, and suddenly found himself with the remainder 
surrounded by twenty-five hundred savages. The brave men made the 
best stand they could, but the savages swooped down on them, stampeded 
their horses, and in half an hour the massacre was complete. Not a 
man was left alive to tell the tale. 

Questions. Who became President in 1869? What noble sentiment 
did he express ? What was his desire ? What occurred during his first 
term? Describe the Chicago fire. What other great fires occurred 
about the same time? Describe the Boston fire. What caused the 
panic of 1873? What can you say of the result? 

What was the fraud of the " Whisky Ring " ? How was it punished? 
What other frauds were unearthed ? What can you say of paper money? 
What was " the resumption of specie payments "? Describe the Cen- 
tennial of 1876. 

"Written Work. Write a description of the Centennial Exposition. 



LESSON 115 
PRESIDENTS HAYES AND GARFIELD 

At the close of President Grant's term of office the 
Repubhcan party nominated Rutherford B. Hayes, of Ohio, 
and the Democratic party nominated Samuel J. 
Tilden, of New York, as candidates for Presi- ^^^^'"''^ 

' ' Tilden 

dent. The Democrats had great hopes of carry- 
ing the election, since they had gained largely in the recent 
elections for Congress and were now in control of most of 
the Southern States. 



448 American History 

The election was an exciting one and the result was 
doubtful. Disputes arose over the votes in South Carolina, 
Florida, and Louisiana, which states were still under the 
control of the " carpet-bag " governments. The vote of 
Oregon was also in dispute. As a result both the Republi- 
cans and the Democrats in these States sent returns to 
Congress, each side claiming the victory. 

In Congress the House of Representatives was Demo- 
cratic and the Senate was Republican. Naturally, they 
were unable to agree about these returns. To 
c "in settle the dispute an Electoral Commission 
was appointed by Congress, consisting of 
five members of the House, five members of the Senate, 
and five Justices of the Supreme Court. Of this Com- 
mission eight were Republicans, and seven were Dem- 
ocrats. 

After investigation, the Commission, by a majority of 
one vote, declared the Republicans had won in each State 
where there was a dispute. Congress then announced that 
Hayes had been elected President for the next four years. 
He was duly inaugurated March 4, 1877. 

One of the first acts of President Hayes was to withdraw 
all Federal troops from the States of South Carohna and 
Louisiana. In each of these States soldiers had 
of'troo^T^* been used to uphold the Republican government, 
but with the withdrawal of all Federal troops 
from the South, the rule of the carpet-bagger came to an 
end, and the white people took charge of the State govern- 
ment. As a result, the RepubHcan governments in the 
South collapsed, and that section of the country became 
the " Sohd South " for Democratic rule. 

In the summer of 1877 great railroad strikes occurred in 



Presidents Hayes and Garfield 



449 



Strikes and 
riots 



the Middle and Western States. The coal miners of Penn- 
sylvania joined in the strikes. All together one hundred and 
fifty thousand men stopped work. Idleness breeds mis- 
chief, and 
soon the 
strikers in 

Pittsburgh began to 
plunder the freight 
cars and set fire to 
the machine shops. 
As much as ten 
million dollars' worth 
of property was de- 
stroyed. President 
Hayes finally sent 
troops to quell the 
riots and restore 
order. 

After four years of 
office President Hayes 
was succeeded by 
James A. Garfield, 
of Ohio, in 1881. 
Hardly had he begun 
his administration 
when, in July, stand- 





^fiKg" 




i^'^^^BMJ 


i i 


-V "-■' ""/ "'- ' '" 


^R' 

-. ."^i^- 






' -^0 


V -^-^ 


"'•■'■'"" .jskt^ 



The rioters at Pittsburgh destroy ten million 
dollars' worth of property 



ing in the railway station at Washington, he was shot by 

an assassin who had followed him for months 

with deadly purpose. In two months he died of ^^ Garfield 

his wounds, and Chester A. Arthur, the Vice 

President, took the oath of office and became the head of 

the government. 



450 American History 

Questions. Name the two candidates for President at the close of 
Grant's term of office. Why had the Democrats great hopes of success? 
What can you say of the election ? What States were doubtful? What 
returns were made from these States? 

How was Congress divided poUtically? What Commission was 
appointed? How did this affect the election? Who was inaugurated 
President in 1877? 

What was one of the first acts of President Hayes ? What happened 
after the withdrawal of troops from the South? What strikes occurred 
in 1877? What happened in Pittsburgh? Who succeeded Hayes? 
Describe the assassination of Garfield. Who succeeded him as President ? 

Written Work. Write a statement of how Hayes came to be elected 
President. 



LESSON 116 
PRESIDENTS ARTHUR AND CLEVELAND 

Up to this time it had been the custom of Presidents to 
reward their friends by giving them offices under the gov- 
ernment. The number of office holders had increased rapidly 
until nearly one hundred and fifty thousand persons were 
employed by the government. Many changes occurred 
with each new administration, greatly to the injury of public 
business. 

It was quite evident that it was bad policy to make so 
many changes, and besides it laid a heavy burden of responsi- 
bility upon each incoming President. In fact, President Gar- 
field had been assassinated by a disappointed office seeker. 

To cure these evils and abuses. Congress, in 1883, passed 
the Civil Service Reform Act. This Act created a Civil 
Service Commission, whose duty it is to examine all ap- 
plicants for office and see that they are competent. The 
Act at first applied to a fev/ positions only, but it has been 



Presidents Arthur and Cleveland 451 

extended from time to time until now nearly all the minor 
positions under the government are subject to its rules. 
Instead of having thousands of changes when 

T> . 1 , • A. nz 1 £ Civil service 

a new President comes into oince, only a few ^^^^^^ 

important ones are made. Worthy servants of 

•the government have found that a position can be secured 

only by a strict examination, and retained only by faithful 

service. 

The four years of President Arthur's administration were 
years of good feeling. Postage was reduced in 1883 from 
three cents to two cents on ordinary letters. 
Although it once cost twenty-five cents to carry ^^°^g^^^ 
a letter a short distance, a letter is now carried 
across the continent, and even across the ocean, for two 
cents. 

The railroads adopted " Standard time," in 1883, dividing 
the country into sections of fifteen degrees of longitude, 
which means an hour's difference in time in 
each section. When it is twelve o'clock in the .. „ 

time 

New York division it is eleven in the Chicago 

division, ten in the Salt Lake division, and nine in the 

San Francisco division. 

Since 1861 all the Presidents had been elected by the 
Republican party ; but dissatisfaction with the tariff had been 
steadily increasing, and the Democrats stood for Qrover 
tariff reform. In the general election of 1884 the Cleveland, 
Democratic party was triumphant, and in March, 
1885, Grover Cleveland, of New York, was inaugurated 
President. He was the first Democratic President in twenty- 
four years. 

Shortly after his inauguration, Vice President Thomas A. 
Hendricks of Indiana died. Congress saw the necessity of 



452 



American History 




Grover Cleveland 

providing a new law for the succession to the Presidency 
in case of the death of both President and Vice President, in 

order to keep the head of the government of 
tiai succession ^^^ Same political party as the one who had 

been elected. In 1886 a bill was passed provid- 
ing that the succession should fall to the members of the 
cabinet in order, beginning with the Secretary of State. 
Since the President appoints the members of the cabinet 
they will almost certainly be of his pohtical party. 



Presidents Arthur and Cleveland 



453 



In the same year the statue of " Liberty enlightening the 
World," was unveiled on Bedloe's Island, New York Harbor. 
It was the gift of the people of France to the 
people of the United States, and was a grateful j^-^^^y° 
recognition of the afifection that the American 
people had for Lafayette. As ships enter the noble harbor 
of our great Atlantic port this majestic statue greets them 





TfTW 


V 


\ -1 


_ ^ -^4m -'-4B 


ife 


fe - . , .-^ 




hi^h^hh 



statue of Liberty, New York Harbor 

with uplifted hand, as if welcoming all who come to the 
Eand of Liberty. 

Among the acts of Cleveland's administration was the 
establishment of the Interstate Commerce Commission, 
in 1887. The purpose of this Act was to regu- interstate 
late passenger and freight rates between States. Commerce 
It sought to avoid unfair discrimination by the 
railroads between different persons and different places. 

Congress also tried to keep crowds of Chinese laborers 
from coming to our shores. They were arriving 
by the thousand, and offering their labor cheaper gj^^iusion 
than Americans could afford to offer theirs. 
It was said that a Chinaman could live on what an American 



454 American History 

would throw away. In 1888 a bill was passed excluding 
Chinese immigrants ; but it has been very difficult to enforce, 
since the shrewd Oriental now lands in Canada and easily 
finds his way across the border. 

The Charleston Earthquake. On August 31, 1886, the people of 
the City of Charleston, South Carolina, were aroused by terrible shocks 
of earthquake. Houses were thrown down, railroad tracks were twisted 
into all sorts of shapes, and from cracks in the earth oozed soft mud of a 
peculiar color. The panic-stricken people sought refuge in the parks 
and fields, and for days many could not be induced to return to their 
houses. Many lives were lost, and much damage to property was sus- 
tained. The shocks were felt for hundreds of miles in all directions, but 
nowhere were they so severe as in Charleston. 

Questions. What can you say of the custom of rewarding one's 
friends with poUtical office? How many people were employed by the 
government? What became evident? How were these evils cured? 
What is the duty of the Civil Service Commission ? What benefits have 
resulted? What other events occurred during Arthur's administration? 

Who was elected President in 1884 ? What can you say of Cleveland ? 
What new law had become necessary and why? Describe the order of 
succession to the Presidency by the Act of 1886. What can you say of 
the Statue of Liberty? What was the purpose of the Interstate 
Commerce Commission ? What can you say of Chinese immigration and 
the Bill of 1888? 

Written Work. Write an account of the purposes of the Civil Service 
Reform Act. 



Presidents Harrison and Cleveland 455 

LESSON 117 
PRESIDENTS HARRISON AND CLEVELAND 

Twenty years had passed since the war, and about half of 
the war debt had been paid. The government was accumu- 
lating more money by the tariff laws than appeared neces- 
sary. A large surplus was on hand. The country was 
divided as to whether the tariff should be reduced or the 
surplus spent in public improvements and in education. 

President Cleveland, following the history of the Demo- 
cratic party, sent a message to Congress advocating the 
reduction of the tariff, making it less of a pro- 
tective tariff and more nearly a tariff for revenue, ^j^^ proposed 
The manufacturers opposed the measure strongly. 
The Senate rejected a bill introduced for that purpose. It 
now became an issue in the next Presidential campaign. 

Cleveland was the nominee of his party. Benjamin 
Harrison, of Indiana, was the candidate of the Republican 
party. The election was entirely along the hues of tariff 
reform. Cleveland was defeated, and in 1889 Harrison was 
inaugurated President. 

President Harrison held office for four years, from 1889 
to 1893. At the beginning of his administration a great 
Pan-Ameiican Congress was held in Washington, 

Pfl.li— Ain cri~ 

composed of delegates from the United States, ^^^ congress 

Mexico, Central America, and most of the Republics 

of South America. The purpose of this Congress was to 

consider matters that concerned the independent American 

governments. 

The most important result of the Congress was an agree- 
ment that all disputes between these governments should be 
settled by arbitration and not by war. This was a great 



456 American History 

advance in civilization. It is to be hoped that all nations will 
finally agree to this method of settling their differences. 

In 1890 Congress passed the McKinley Tariff Bill. This 

law provided among other things that articles in 

}^^^l'i7, the free list should be taxed, if the countries from 

Tariff Bill 

which they came laid duties on products of the 
same kind exported from our country. This provision was 
known as " The Reciprocity Agreement." 

About this time there arose another party known as " The 
People's Party." It was in favor of the free and unlimited 
coinage of silver, an income tax, government ownership of 
railroads and telegraph hues, and was opposed to State banks. 

After Harrison's term of ofhce expired he was defeated 
by Grover Cleveland, who for the second time became the 
Grover Democratic President. Cleveland was inaugu- 

cieveiand, rated in 1893. During his second term the tariff 
President ^^^ again revised by what was known as the 
" Wilson Bill," which greatly reduced the duties on imports. 

The country turned aside from poUtical affairs for a while to 
celebrate the four hundredth anniversary of the discovery 
of America by a World's Fair, held in Chicago in 1893. Con- 
The World's g^css appropriated ten million dollars, and Chicago 
Columbian spent large sums to make the Fair a success. 
Exposition j^ ^^g ^ wonderful display of mighty industries. 
The '' White City " covered many acres. By day the build- 
ings were thronged with thousands of deUghted people. By 
night the grounds glowed with thousands of electric Hghts. 
It will ever remain as one of the greatest exhibitions that the 
world has ever known. 

The tariff and the money question again became the 
poHtical issues. The country as usual was divided on both. 
The great issue was between the gold standard only, or a 



Presidents Harrison and Cleveland 457 

free and unlimited coinage of silver as well. The Re- 
publicans advocated a high tariff and the gold wiujam 
standard only. In 1896 William McKinley, McKiniey, 
of Ohio, the RepubUcan candidate, was elected 
over WilHam J. Bryan, the standard bearer of the Democrats. 
Collateral Reading. " Centennial Hymn," by John G. Whittier. 

Questions. What can you say of the war debt ? What of the surplus ? 
What message did Cleveland send to Congress? Along what lines was 
the election that followed? Who became President in 1889? 

Describe the Pan-American Congress. What was the most impor- 
tant result of the Congress ? When was the McKiniey Tariff Bill passed ? 
WTiat did it provide? What was this provision known as? What did 
the People's Party favor? Who became President in 1893? Describe 
the World's Fair. Who became President in 1896? 

Written Work. Give your opinion of the Pan-American Congress. 



LESSON 118 

McKINLEY AND THE WAR WITH SPAIN 

The island of Cuba had belonged to Spain for many 
years, but its people had been so oppressed by harsh laws 
that they had frequently risen in rebellion. 

, . , . . , Rebellion 

In 1895 a very determmed insurrection began, in cuba 
" Free Cuba," was the cry of the inhabitants. 
Spain resolved to put down the insurgents with a harsh and 
vigorous policy ; and a large army was sent over under Spanish 
officers who treated the Cubans with great cruelty. 

Houses and growing crops were destroyed. The Cubans 
who were not engaged in the rebellion were forced to stay 
in the towns, penned up in filthy camps, where thousands 
died of starvation and disease. The condition of Cuba was 
pitiable. The Spanish general, Weyler, became known as 
"The Butcher." 



458 



American History 




William Mc Kin ley 

President McKinley of the United States demanded the 
release of all Americans who had been made prisoners, and 
requested Spain promptly to relieve the distressing condi- 
tion of the people of Cuba. The general demand was that 
Spain should at once end the rebellion in a humane way, else 
the United States would take the part of the Cubans. 

February 15, 1898, the battleship Maine, in the harbor 
of Havana, on a peaceable mission, was blown up by an 
Destruction cxplosion, and nearly three hundred of the crew 
of the were killed. It was not proven that this was 

**°® done by Spanish agents, but it was generally 

suspected that they were responsible for the disaster. 



McKinley and the War with Spain 459 



President McKinley saw that the time had come for the 
United States to act. In April he sent a message to Con- 
gress, saying : " In the name of humanity, in the name of 
civilization, in behalf of endangered American interests, 
the war in Cuba must stop ! " Shortly afterwards war was 
declared against Spain and the country was put 
on a war footing. The President called for sp^'dLiared 
one hundred and twenty-five thousand volun- 
teer soldiers. The response was immediate. From North, 



"■ 


X 




i tt^4 


, 


^^^ml^^^' ' -^^fll 


11 


m^gn^^g 



The battleship Maine lying in Havana harbor 

South, East, and West came hosts of apphcations to enhst 
for the war. Camps were organized, supplies made ready, 
ofi&cers appointed, and a vigorous campaign against Spain 
was planned. General Joseph Wheeler and General Fitz- 
Hugh Lee, who had been gallant Confederate leaders, were 
among those made major-generals. 

Captain Sampson and Commodore Schley (Shll), were 
sent to blockade the Cuban harbors, and Commodore George 



460 American History 

Dewey, who was in command of the American fleet at 
Hong Kong, was ordered to find the Spanish fleet at the 
Philippine Islands and destroy it. 

On the night of April 30, 1898, the squadron under 
Dewey moved into Manila Bay. All lights were out, and 
the shore batteries of the enemy did not dis- 
j^^j^^°g cover the passing ships. The men slept by 
their guns. When day dawned they awoke 
with the Spanish fleet in sight, and raised the cry: "Re- 
member the Maine! " 

The battle began early, and continued two hours. Then 
the Americans stopped firing, ate breakfast, and started 
again. In another hour and a quarter the battle was over. 
Eleven Spanish vessels and one transport were destroyed, 
and many of the enemy were killed. Not a single Ameri- 
can was lost, and only eight were wounded. The Spaniards 
were no match for the Americans. Their ships were inferior, 
their guns were poor, and they could not fire with accuracy. 
It was a great naval victory, and ended the war in the East. 

Voyage of the Oregon. One of the notable occurrences of the time 
was the voyage of the battleship Oregon from San Francisco around 
Cape Horn to Key West. The long voyage was begun soon after the 
destruction of the Maine. For two months the commander kept on his 
course, apprehensive of attack by the Spanish fleet. The vessel reached 
its destination safely, however, amid the plaudits of the nation. 

Questions. By what were the people of Cuba oppressed? WTiat was 
their cry? What did Spain resolve to do? Describe the condition of 
the inhabitants. What did McKinley demand? What happened to 
the Maine? What message did McKinley send to Congress? What 
volunteers were called for ? What can you say of Sampson and Schley ? 
What was Dewey ordered to do? Describe the battle of Manila. 

Written Work. Write your reasons for thinking the United States 
justified in declaring war on Spain. 



The War with Spain 461 

LESSON 119 
THE WAR WITH SPAIN (Continued) 

In the meantime Admiral Cervera, the Spanish com- 
mander, had left the Cape Verde Islands with a fleet of 
war vessels, and had taken refuge in the harbor of Santiago 
de Cuba. The combined fleets of Sampson and Schley 
discovered the presence of the Spanish fleet and blockaded the 
harbor closely. 

Sampson conceived the plan of sinking a vessel across the 
channel of the harbor of Santiago so that the enemy's ships 
could not get out. Lieutenant Richmond P. 
Hobson undertook the task. One morning he, Lj^urHobson 
with a few companions, took a coal ship named the 
Merrimac up the harbor, and in the full blaze of the enemy's 
guns, and in spite of the danger from the explosives with 
which the habor was lined, sank the ship. Unfortunately 
the fire of the enemy's guns had disabled the steering gear 
of the Merrimac, so that she was not sunk in a place that 
obstructed the harbor. 

Hobson and his men escaped on rafts to the nearest 
Spanish vessels and gaye themselves up as prisoners of war. 
They were courteously treated by the Spanish commander, 
and word was sent to Sampson that they were safe. 

It was now resolved to attack Santiago from the rear. 
Major General WilHam R. Shafter landed on the southern 
coast of Cuba and with sixteen thousand men gj caney and 
marched up the hills of El Caney (Ca na') and San juan, 
San Juan (San Hwan'). The Americans charged ^^^ ^'^ ^ 
the hills, singing patriotic songs as they advanced. The 
assault was desperate, but the forts were carried with but 
little loss of life. Conspicuous among the leaders was 



462 American History 

Colonel Theodore Roosevelt, with the " Rough Riders " of 
whom he was in command. 

Santiago was doomed, and Cervera's fleet was in danger. 
On July 3 he made a dash for liberty. The American ships 
were in waiting, and as the Spanish vessels slipped out they 
were pursued and easily destroyed. Six hundred Spaniards 
were killed or drowned and Cervera made prisoner. The 
American loss was one killed. Santiago soon surrendered, 
and the war was over. It had lasted about three months. 

A treaty of peace was signed at Paris, December 10, 1898, 
by which Spain agreed to evacuate the island of Cuba, sur- 
render the islands of Porto Rico and the Philip- 
eace^ ° pines to the United States, and also the island 

of Guam in the Pacific Ocean. The United 
States agreed to pay Spain the sum of twenty million 
dollars. 

One result of this war was to make the nation forget its 

past differences in the face of a common enemy. Soldiers 

and officers from the North and South fought 

the^war" ^^^^ ^^ ^^^^* ^^^^ ^^^ ^^^ soldiers had suffered 
for food and medicine showed that it was as 

important to protect men in the camp as it was to arm them 

for the battle. For every man killed in battle in the Spanish 

war there were nine who died from disease in the hospitals. 
Hawaii (Ha wi'e) had already been annexed to the United 

States in 1898, and now that the Philippines had come into its 
possession there arose a new sentiment among 

exTns^n ^^^ people in favor of territorial expansion. 
Like other nations, the United States undertook 

to have possessions in distant parts of the world. 

The exploits of our battleships raised us to the rank of a 

first-class power, and showed to the world that hereafter in 



The War with Spain 463 

the settlement of questions in which great nations were 
involved, the United States was a power that had to be 
reckoned with. 

Our Island Possessions. The Hawaiian Islands were annexed to the 
United States in 1898. They are the most important group in the 
mid-Pacific. The twelve islands have a population of over one hundred 
thousand people, many of whom are Americans. The harbor of Hono- 
lulu affords a splendid station for coal and suppUes for war vessels cross- 
ing the ocean. 

The PhiUppines consist of many hundreds of islands, most of which 
are very small, and some are without names. The population numbers 
about eight miUion, of which about thirty thousand were Europeans at 
the time of the cession of the islands to the United States. Luzon is the 
largest island, on which is situated Manila, the chief city, with a popu- 
lation of about a quarter of a million. The islands produce tobacco, sugar, 
hemp, coffee, and rice. 

Porto Rico in the West Indies has nearly one million people, mostly 
negroes. Guam, which is the principal island in the Ladrone group, 
has only about ten thousand people, mostly settlers from the PhiHppines. 
The island is small, probably not more than one hundred miles in circum- 
ference. The United States also owns Wake Island, on the direct route 
from Hawaii to Hong Kong. In 1899, by treaty with Great Britain 
and Germany, the United States came into control of one of the islands 
in the Samoan group. In case of war all these possessions afford excellent 
harbors and coaling stations for our naval forces. 

Questions. Where had Cervera taken refuge? By whom was the 
Spanish fleet blockaded ? What was the exploit of Hobson ? What was 
now resolved upon? Describe the attack on El Caney and San Juan. 
Who was conspicuous among the leaders? What did Cervera now do? 
What happened to the Spanish vessels? What prisoners were taken? 
What became of Santiago ? What treaty ended the war ? What were the 
conditions of the treaty ? Name some of the results of the war. What 
new sentiment arose among the people? What naval rank did we 
now assume? 

Written Work. Write an account of the destruction of the Spanish 
ships at Santiago. 



464 American History 

LESSON 120 

INSULAR AND FOREIGN AFFAIRS 

We had paid twenty million dollars for the Philippine 
Islands, but we acquired a war as well. These islands con- 
tain about eight million people, most of whom are unciv- 
ilized. The treaty of peace had hardly been signed before 
the inhabitants rose against the United States, declaring 
that they wanted independence, — not a new master. 

The insurgents were led by a young native named Agui- 
naldo ( A ge nal'do). The war soon assumed the nature of 
guerrilla warfare, very annoying and distressing to the Ameri- 
can troops. President McKinley increased the army in the 
Philippines to sixty-five thousand men. Hun- 
PhUippines dreds of small battles were fought. The Amer- 
ican soldiers had no difficulty in defeating the 
poorly armed natives, whenever and wherever small bodies 
of them could be found, but the hot climate, malarial swamps, 
and dense jungles brought much hardship and great distress 
to our troops. 

The war was finally brought to a close by the capture of 
Aguinaldo in March, 1901. He took the oath of allegiance 
to the United States and advised his countrymen to do the 
same. By the close of the year over seven hundred of 
the Philippine towns had accepted civil government, and the 
insurrection came to an end. 

In the meantime President McKinley had appointed a 
civil commission to aid the army in the government of the 
Government islands. In July, 1901, a civil government was 
of the established, under whose administration the 

ippines islands have been much improved. New roads 
have been built, wise laws have been made for the towns, 



Insular and Foreign Affairs 465 

schools have been estabhshed, and many American teachers 
have been sent out to teach the natives. 

The question of the disposition of Cuba now arose. We 
were pledged to the independence of that island, but it was 
evident that the natives were not yet prepared for self- 
government. The War Department took tem- ^^^^^ ^ ^^^^ 
porary possession of Cuba. A number of com- and independ- 

1 r \ • J r^ u ent nation 

missioners, made up 01 Americans and Cubans, 
were appointed to improve the laws, to organize city govern- 
ments, establish schools, provide for taxation, and to prepare 
the people for independence. 

In February, 1901, a Constitution was adopted by the 
Cubans, and a president was elected. In May, 1902, the 
Cuban RepubHc was organized, the administration of the 
affairs of the island was turned over to President Palma, 
and Cuba was left to govern itself as an independent nation. 

Across the ocean two events happened at the end of the 
century, both of which are of interest to Americans. One 
was the Peace Conference, of delegates from all 
nations, held at The Hague, in Holland, at the Tribunal"* 
suggestion of the Czar of Russia. The first 
conference began in May, 1899. The Hague Tribunal was 
organized in the interest of peace the world over. To this 
tribunal are to be referred certain kinds of disputes between 
civiHzed nations, in order to avoid war and bloodshed. Let 
us hope that the powers of the tribunal will be enlarged 
until war between nations becomes practically impossible. 

The other event was the great uprising in China in 1900, 
on the part of a secret society known as the 
Boxers. Their purpose was to drive all foreign- uprising ^'^ 
ers out of the country. The foreigners were 
shut up in Peking and fiercelv attacked by the Chinese insur- 



466 American History 

gents. Several nations promptly sent armies to their rescue. 
American troops were dispatched from Manila. Peking was 
besieged and stormed by the aUifd armies, and the besieged 
ministers and foreigners set free. The Chinese government 
had to pay heavy damages for the loss of Hfe and property. 
This event is known as " the Boxer Uprising." 

In 1900 President McKinley was again a candidate of the 
Republican party for reelection. Opposed to him was 
William J. Bryan, the nominee of the Democratic party. 
The Republicans were victorious, and McKinley was reelected 
for another term. 

A few months after he had been inaugurated he attended 
the Pan-American Exposition at Buffalo. He had made a 

speech full of patriotism and good will, and was 
o/LicKiniey" shaking hands with the people when he was shot 

by an assassin, who held a revolver in his hand, 
concealed by a handkerchief. September 14, 1901, McKinley 
died, the third martyr-president, loved and honored as the 
others had been. 

Questions. What did we acqiiire along with the Philippine Islands? 
What can you say of the inhabitants? What happened soon after the 
treaty of peace ? By whom were the insurgents led ? What kind of war- 
fare ensued ? How large an army was sent to the islands ? How did the 
troops suffer ? How was the war finally brought to an end? WTien was 
a civil government established for the Philippines? What improve- 
ments have since taken place? 

What other question now arose ? To what were we pledged ? What 
was evident? WTiat department took charge of Cuba? For what pur- 
pose were commissioners appointed ? When was a Constitution adopted ? 
When was the Cuban RepubHc organized? With whom as president? 

Describe the Hague Tribunal; the Boxer Uprising in China; the 
assassination of President McKinley. 

Written Work. Write a statement showing the noble part the United 
States has taken in making Cuba a free RepubUc. 



Great American Enterprises 467 

LESSON 121 
GREAT AMERICAN ENTERPRISES 

We have learned of the invention of the electric telegraph 
in 1837. By i860 every State in the Union and nearly 
all the nations of the Old World were sending messages 
over the land. Morse had predicted that the time would 
come when electric messages would be sent across the ocean. 

Commodore Maury, who had studied the bottom of the 
ocean, suggested to Cyrus W. Field, of New York, that an 
electric cable could be laid along the tableland 
under the Atlantic Ocean and thus connect the ^^^^j^ 
Old and the New World. In 1857 the first cable 
was started, but after three hundred miles had been laid at a 
cost of a half -million dollars, the cable parted. In 1858 Field 
succeeded in laying a cable across the ocean ; and Queen 
Victoria and President Buchanan exchanged greetings. 

In about a month the cable ceased working, the war came 
on, and nothing more was done until 1865. A cable was 
then laid halfway across the ocean when it broke, and the 
cable was lost on the bottom of the sea. Field was not dis- 
mayed. When asked what he was going to do, he answered, 
" Go to work and lay another ! " 

A monster ship called the Great Eastern was used to 
carry the material. The end of the lost cable was found, 
dragged by hooks from the bottom of the sea, spliced to 
another cable, and the work went on. Slowly it was un- 
wound over the ocean bed until, July 27, 1866, communi- 
cation between the Old and the New World was estabhshed. 
It has not since been interrupted. Field had worked 
thirteen years and spent a great deal of money, but he 
had succeeded. 



468 American HivStory 

More than a dozen cables now cross the Atlantic, Cables 
also cross the Pacific Ocean ; and telegraph Hnes stretch 
across all continents and into nearly all countries. Messages 
can be sent around the world in a few hours. Every morning 
the papers furnish us with an account of what has happened 
in every part of the world. 

Other great enterprises are worthy of note. The long 
suspension bridge over the East River, connecting New 
York- and Brooklyn, was completed in 1883. It 
bridEV^^'^" cost nearly fifteen million dollars, is over a mile 
long, and took fourteen years to build. The 
towers at either end are three hundred feet high, and the 
cables are over a foot thick. Other bridges have since been 
built at even greater cost, and of larger dimensions. 

The opening of the oil fields of Pennsylvania is one of the 

great achievements of modern times. Oil wells were sunk, 

and the crude natural oil pumped out of the 
OU weUs . . . 

earth in immense quantities. Other oil fields 

were discovered in Ohio, Indiana, Texas, as well as in other 

states. Companies have been formed to handle the product, 

refine it, and ship it to all parts of the known world. 

In the use of steel and iron for the construction of build- 
ings, bridges, and ships, the great foundries of America are 
creating a world's industry. In our large cities 
c n^ti^ction°" ^^^^ buildings with steel frames are being con- 
structed, of twenty to thirty stories, and over 
three hundred feet in height. These are called " sky- 
scrapers," and are almost entirely American in their design 
and construction. 

In fact, the enterprise of the people of America halts at 
no undertaking, no matter how great. The vast power of 
Niagara Falls is being converted by machinery into electric 



Great American Enterprises 469 

power and distributed to cities many miles distant ; under- 
ground railways and overhead railways transport the people 
of our large cities to and from their business ; tunnels are 
being built under rivers and through mountains to gain a 
quicker connection between our cities ; railroads are cross- 
ing mountains and plains and penetrating forests to develop 
the great industries of the country. 

We have many wonderful things our grandfathers never 
dreamed of and would have laughed at if they had been 
suggested. Every day is adding comforts to our homes and 
conveniences to our business. The progress we have made 
in the past, and the possibilities that lie before us in the 
future, should stimulate us to take advantage of our great 
opportunities. 

Questions. What prediction had Morse made about the telegraph? 
What had Commodore Maury suggested to Cyrus W. Field ? When was 
the first cable started and what happened to it? When was the first 
cable laid across the Atlantic? Wliat happened to this cable? What 
other accidents happened? What did Field say? When was the cable 
finally laid? What can you say of the cables at the present day? 

What can you say of the East River suspension bridge ? What did it 
cost? Tell of its length. Its towers. Its cables. What can you say 
of the oil fields of Pennsylvania? Of steel and iron construction? Of 
tall buildings? What other great enterprises can you mention? 

Written Work. Make a fist of the great enterprises for which our 
country is noted. Which of them do you consider the greatest, and why ? 



470 American History 

LESSON 122 
GREAT AMERICAN INVENTIONS 

America is a land of inventors. Eli Whitney gave the 
world the cotton gin ; Fulton invented the steamboat ; 
Morse devised the electric telegraph ; McCormick con- 
structed the reaper; Ericsson built an ironclad war vessel; 
Edison perfected the electric Hght and the electric car ; 
Bell invented the telephone. 

Besides these there is a long list of inventions and 

improvements made by Americans. Elias Howe patented 

the sewing machine in 1846. At first it was a 

. ™®'''^*" simple hand machine, but now it can be run by 

inventions ^ ' •' 

steam power, greatly increasing the output of 
each man. Other inventions are the sleeping car and the 
vestibule train, together with the air brake, that make 
travel comfortable and safe ; the revolving printing press, 
the typewriter, the cash register, the safety bicycle, and 
the passenger elevator that greatly facilitate business ; the 
compressed air drill, the improved loom, the Corhss engine, 
the refrigerator car, and the gas engine that have helped 
to develop our industries. 

All inventions are patented in the Patent Office, at 
Washington, which, beginning in 1791, has, up to this time, 
issued about a million patents protecting all inventors from 
those who may try to reap the profits of their genius and 
labors. 
Among the greatest of American inventors is Thomas A. 

Edison. He began life as a newsboy on a pas- 
Edis™n^ senger train. His fancy was early attracted to 

telegraphing. Upon one occasion he saved the 
child of a telegraph operator from being run over by a train, 



Great American Inventions 



471 



and the operator in gratitude offered to teach Edison tele- 
graphing. He gladly accepted the offer, and became a very 
rapid telegrapher. 

He soon became an electrical expert and devised a method 
by which many messages could be sent on one wire at the 
same time, thus saving the expense of many wires. ^ He 
soon after invented the improved " stock ticker," which 




The Patent Office, Washington 

records in the office of the stock brokers the quotations of 
the market. 

Having accumulated some money, Edison moved to 
Menlo Park in New Jersey and began experiments and 
inventions on a large scale. In 1879 he announced that 
he could furnish Hght from electricity. In fact, he had 

^ A great improvement upon the telegraph has been devised of late years 
by Marconi, an Italian, who has invented wireless telegraphy. By his inven- 
tion messages are sent without wires many hundreds of miles over the 
seas, thereby enabling ships to communicate with each other and with the 
shore. Thousands of lives have been saved at sea by wireless messages calling 
for assistance. 



4/2 American History 

eighty lights in the park near his home, but they were 
not very satisfactory. After much work he 
e e ectnc succeeded in exhausting the air from the elec- 
tric globes, and the electric light as we now know 
it became a success, and cities and towns the world over 
are lighted by electricity, 

Edison turned his attention to the electric car. His first 
experiment was on two miles of track at Menlo 

Electric cars -^ . -r r^r^ ^ r ^ • 11 

Park. In 1884 the first electric car was placed 
in use, and so rapidly have the cars grown in favor that few 
cities are without a system of electric street cars. 

Among other inventions of Edison are the phonograph, 
the kinetoscope or moving picture machine, and the mimeo- 
graph for making many copies of one writing. So many 
and so wonderful have been his inventions that he is called 
the '' Wizard of Menlo Park." 

Alexander Graham Bell, of Boston, discovered that elec- 
tricity could be used to carry the sound of the human voice. 
In 1876 he took out a patent for the telephone 

The telephone ,,,.,,.. . , _ . , 

and exhibited his invention at the Centennial 
Exposition in Philadelphia. Almost at once the telephone 
was improved by a number of additional patents, and sprang 
into the world's notice and favor as a business necessity and 
a domestic convenience. Our homes, our business houses, 
our cities are connected by telephone. Millions of these 
instruments are now in use ; it is possible to sit at a desk in 
New York and talk to friends in Boston or in Chicago. 

Edison as a Telegraph Expert. One day when Edison was a young 
man he entered a telegraph office in Boston to begin work. He was 
poorly dressed and looked as if he knew nothing about his business. 
The operators smiled at his appearance, but he was told to take a seat 
and receive a message that was coming in from New York. Edison took 



Growth of the West 473 

his place and began to write the message. For four hours and a half the 
message continued. The operator in New York sent it faster and 
faster, but Edison never complained of the speed. At the end of the 
message the operator asked over the wire: "Who are you?" The 
answer was, " Thomas Edison." The operator said : " You are the first 
man that could ever take me at my fastest, and the only one I ever met 
who could sit at the other end of my wire for more than two hours and a 
half. I am proud to know you." 

Questions. Name some great American inventors and the things they 
invented. What can you say of Elias Howe? What inventions have 
made travel comfortable and safe? What inventions have facilitated 
business ? What inventions have helped develop our industries ? What 
can you say of the Patent Office? 

Describe the early life of Edison. To what was he early attracted ? 
How did he become a telegrapher? What method did he devise in 
telegraphy? What machine did he improve? What can you say of 
electric hghting? Of the electric car? Name others of his inventions. 

WTiat can you say of the telephone? 

"Written Work. Make a list of great American inventors and inven- 
tions. Which one do you consider greatest and why? 



LESSON 123 
GROWTH OF THE WEST 

We have already learned of the great movement west- 
ward after the discovery of gold in California. Gold and 
silver were discovered in other places from time to time, 
and the great plains beyond the Mississippi were soon dotted 
with villages that rapidly grew into towns and cities. 

Chicago in 1830 was merely a fort in the wilderness. By 
1840 it had only five thousand people. Now it 
has over two million people, and covers one hun- western "cities 
dred and seventy-five square miles. Kansas City 
was not known in 1850, but now it has two hundred and 



474 



American History 



fifty thousand people. San Franscisco^ in 1840 had only 
five hundred people, and Milwaukee had only seventeen 
hundred. Now San Francisco has over four hundred thou- 
sand and Milwaukee nearly four hundred thousand inhabit- 




Western deserts have become fertile fields by means of irrigation 

ants. In 1858 Denver was a mining camp ; now it has over 
two hundred thousand population. Truly the great West 
has sprung into wonderful growth and power. 

Across the plains once went the " pony express," carry- 
ing mail from Missouri to San Francisco. Over- 
e pony land Stages for passengers soon began to run 
on regular schedules, and the comforts of civili- 
zation gradually found their way into the wilderness. 

At length it was proposed to build a railroad across the 
country to California. Congress granted fifty 
r^iwa^s million dollars to two companies to build rail- 

roads ; one, the Union Pacific Railroad, to build 
from Omaha westward, the other, the Central Pacific, to 

1 The beautiful city of San Francisco was nearly destroyed by earthquake 
and fire in 1906, but its brave citizens have since carried out the rebuilding of 
the city upon a larger and more expensive scale. 



Growth of the West 475 

build from Sacramento eastward. For many years, across 
the prairies and over the mountains, the work of building 
these transcontinental lines continued. 

At last, in May, 1869, the two Hues came together in 
Ogden, Utah, and the last spike was driven. It was a great 
event. As the blows fell, the news was telegraphed throughout 
the Union to let the people know that the Atlantic and Pacific 
oceans — over three thousand miles apart — were connected 
by rail. 

Other great railroad lines have since been built across the 
continent, making it possible to travel in comfort from one 
end of our great country to the other in about a week. Once 
it took as long a time to go from New York to Boston, and then 
one had to travel in a stagecoach. 

In addition to granting sums of money to these railroad 
companies, Congress gave them large sections of land along 
the lines to aid them in building up the country 
with settlers. In 1862 the Homestead Bill was p^°^^^ ^* 
passed by Congress, which gave every man one 
hundred and sixty acres of government land provided he 
would settle on it, build a cabin, and cultivate the soil. 

These inducements by the government, and the ease of 
travel, led thousands of people to move into the West, 
Regions that were treeless wastes or a vast wilderness of 
uncultivated land soon were made fertile by irrigation ; 
splendid roads were built along the highways ; people came in ; 
settlements that were composed of a few dugouts and sod 
cabins grew into villages and then into cities. 

The Indians have gradually given way to the advance of 
the white man. At one time they were free to 

.11- T 1 , , . The Indians 

range the plams. Later they were settled m 

the Indian Territory and other reservations. They are 



476 



American History 



beginning to take on some degree of civilization, living in 
houses, sending their children to school, and dwelling peace- 
ably on the lands assigned to them. There are now about 
two hundred and fifty thousand Indians living on reservations 
in the West and elsewhere. 




An Indian home on a reservation 



Opening of 
Oklahoma 



In 1889 a- portion of the Indian Territory was bought and 
called Oklahoma, " Red Man's Land." On the day this 
territory was opened there was a mighty rush of 
settlers across the Hne. All the night before 
thousands had camped on the borders. When 
the sign to move was given, on they went, by wagon and on 
horseback, to stake off their claims. Every man held what 
he staked off. Towns sprang up in a day and grew into 
cities in a week. Hundreds of thousands of people found 



The Industries of the West 477 

homes in a few months. The race for Oklahoma showed 
the spirit of those who were peophng the western section of 
our country. 

Questions. What can you say of the growth of the West? De- 
scribe the growth of Chicago ; Kansas City ; San Francisco ; Milwau- 
kee; Denver. Describe the "pony express" and the stages. What 
railroads were projected across the continent? When was the road 
completed? Describe the completing of the road. Trace the present 
railways across the continent. 

What were the provisions of the Homestead Act? What effect did 
these things have? Describe the way the wilderness was reclaimed. 
What can you say of the Indians ? Of the opening of Oklahoma ? 

Written Work. Write an account of the growth of western cities. 



LESSON 124 
THE INDUSTRIES OF THE WEST 

The industries of the West have grown wonderfully. The 
settlers on the prairies found the land cheap, the soil fertile 
and easily plowed. The small farms grew into 
larger farms, until now one may see thousands f^rms^™ 
of acres under cultivation. Many wheat fields 
and corn fields in the West extend unbroken for miles. As 
far as the eye can see the grain grows in one vast surface 
that moves like the waves of the ocean. There are single 
wheat fields fifteen to twenty miles in extent. 

At first only horses, mules, and oxen were used for plow- 
ing. These have given way on the great farms to the steam 
plow that, driven by one man, does the work of ^se of 
many teams. Then came the steam harvester machinery 
and thresher that went like a giant mowing °^ "'ming 
machine through the ripened grain, cutting a wide swath, 



4/8 



American History 



threshing, measuring, and sacking it ready for the market. 
On the great farms several of these machines will start 
abreast, keep in a straight course all day, and make a return 
journey the next day. 

These vast crops of wheat and corn have called for great 
mills for making flour and meal. In the large western cities 
are immense elevators used for loading cars and ships with 
grain to be transported to all parts of the world. The 
West deserves to be called the granary of the world. 




Grain elevators in our large western cities load vessels with corn and 
wheat for all parts of the world 

Over the broad plains of the West, buffaloes once roamed 
in great herds, but they have been hunted and slain for their 

hides and meat until now only a few survive. 
oMhrtfuffaio These are kept guarded in the National Park, 

under the protection of the government ; for other- 
wise the historic buffalo of the West would soon be entirely 
extinct. To occupy the ranges of this old king of the plains 



The Industries of the West 479 

have come the vast cattle ranches, embracing great areas of 
rich grass over which wander herds of horned cattle, sheep, 
and hogs. 

Hundreds of thousands of cattle fatten on the prairie 
grass, tended by cowboys on their swift ponies. The cattle 
are marked by branding to indicate their owners. 

Cattle ranches 

At the proper time they are herded for the mar- 
ket, gathered in cattle trains, and hurried to the great stock 
yards of Chicago, Denver, St. Louis, and other western 
cities. Every day thousands of cattle are landed in each of 
these cities. 

Packing houses prepare the meat for market. It is inspected 
by government officials, stored in refrigerator cars or in ships, 
and transported to all parts of the country and 
to nearly every part of the globe. In fact the 
armies of Europe are fed with the corn and meat of the West. 
Foreign nations depend upon us for much of their food supply. 
So dependent are the nations thus one upon another that 
war is daily getting more and more improbable. Nations 
would rather settle their differences than suffer for lack of 
supplies. 

Railroads and telegraphs have changed the West from a 
wild country full of savages to a great region of prosperous 
and happy people. The trade with China in teas, spices, and 
silks, that once went around Cape Horn, now enters at Cali- 
fornia and goes overland to the East or passes through the 
Panama Canal by an all-water route. Instead of six months 
on the ocean, the China trade is in New York in six weeks. 

Thus we see that the great West, once laughed at by 
statesmen at Washington as being so far from the capital that a 
Congressman could not arrive for his duties in six months, 
has now become one of the most important sections of the 



480 American History 

world. Its gold and silver mines, its fields of wheat and corn, 
its ranches of cattle, its great forests of timber, its gardens of 
vegetables, and its orchards of fruits have made it a region to 
which the world looks for food and shelter. 

The Louisiana Purchase Exposition. One hundred years had 
passed since the great area once named Louisiana had been purchased 
by Jefferson from Napoleon. To celebrate the anniversary an exposition 
was held in St. Louis, which is the largest city in the original tract. The 
gates were opened in April, 1904. The progress of the West was fully 
shown in the great exhibits of its many enterprises and industries. It 
was the greatest fair our country has ever had, not excepting the World's 
Fair in Chicago. 

Questions. What did the settler find in the West? How did the 
farms increase in size? Describe the size of some of the grainfields. 
Tell about the progress in the use of plows. Describe the harvesting 
machines. What provisions are made for grinding the grain? For 
transportation ? 

Tell about the buffaloes. Describe their present condition. What 
has taken their place? What can you say of the cowboys? Of mar- 
keting the cattle? Of the packing houses? Of feeding the armies of 
Europe ? Upon what do foreign nations depend ? What effect has 
this on war? 

What effect have railroads had on the West? What can you say 
of the China trade ? What other industries have made the West so 
great a section of our country? 

Written Work. Write a description of a wheat field. Describe the 
life of a cowboy in the West. 



Growth of the South 481 

LESSON 125 
GROWTH OF THE SOUTH 

The South is rapidly recovering from the ravages of war. 
The eleven States that in i860 had nine million inhabitants, 
by 1910 had over twenty-two milhon. Of these, fifteen mil- 
lion were white people, and seven million were negroes. 
There are about two milHon more negroes in the United 
States, scattered through every State in the Union. 

The Southern people have learned that free labor is better 
than slave labor. The old way of farming has been succeeded 
by a better way. The farms are not so large, 

1 , ^, 1 J The cotton 

but they are more numerous and more produc- ^ 
tive, because they are tilled with more intelli- 
gence and less waste. The cotton crop is still the most 
important industry. In 1913 it was over three times as large 
as it was in i860. The South produces twelve to fourteen 
million bales a year, which is about three fourths of all the 
cotton grown in the world. Of this amount nine million bales 
are annually exported to foreign countries. 

New Orleans, the largest city in the South, has a popula- 
tion of nearly three hundred and fifty thousand. It is the 
largest cotton port in America. For many years j^^^ Orleans 
the foreign commerce of the city suffered from lack and the 
of deep water at the mouth of the Mississippi. * ^ -i® ®^ 
That great stream brought down vast quantities of mud and 
sand that filled up the mouth of the river, making it 
difficult and often impossible for ships to pass. It was no 
uncommon occurrence for ships to wait for weeks to pass 
the bar, and then pay heavy charges for tugs to pull them 
across. 

Captain James B. Eads, an engineer of St. Louis, who 



482 American History 

had acquired fame by building the great steel bridge that 
spans the Mississippi at that place, proposed to Congress to 
open one of the mouths of the Mississippi and to keep it 
open. Congress reluctantly consented, and Eads set to work. 
In four years he built two piers, or jetties, two miles long 
and only four hundred yards apart, running far out into 
the gulf. The jetties were completed in 1879. 

This narrowed the stream and made the current swifter, 
so that the mud instead of being deposited in the bed of the 
river is carried out to sea. The river thus clears out its own 
mouth, and ships come up the river to New Orleans without 
hindrance. 

In 1884 the great Cotton Centennial Exposition was held 
in New Orleans. Its purpose was to celebrate the one 
hundredth anniversary of the shipping of eight 
Centennial ^^g^ oi cotton from Charleston to England. 
Thousands of visitors came to the picturesque 
city to view the great display of products and industries of 
the awakened South. The buildings covered seventy-five 
acres. The main building was the largest which up to that 
time had ever been built for exhibition purposes. 

Other expositions have been held in Atlanta, Charleston, 
and Nashville. A notable one was held at Norfolk, Va., in 
1907, known as the Jamestown Exposition, to 
celebrate the three hundredth anniversary of the 
first permanent settlement in America. The splendid dis- 
plays in agriculture, manufactures, and in the arts and 
sciences showed how rapidly the South has recovered from 
the devastation of war, and how quickly it is regaining its 
position of wealth and influence in the nation. 

There has been a great educational awakening in the South. 
Public schools have been organized in every State, free to both 



Growth of the South 483 

white and negro children, though the two races are always 
taught in separate schools. Ilhteracy is being 
reduced as schools are increased, and with edu- 
cation come greater industry, more economy, higher self- 
respect, and a nobler pleasure in correct living. 

Education in the South. Considering the distress of the South by 
the losses of war and the depression of business, the progress in educa- 
tion has been remarkable. In 1870 the entire negro population was 
comparatively illiterate. At the present time nearly two milhon negro 
children are annually enrolled in school. In the year 1910 the census 
showed that nearly three fourths of the negroes of the South could read and 
write. In 1882 John F. Slater of Connecticut gave $1,000,000 to be used 
for the education of the southern negroes. 

There are now about three million white children in the pubUc schools 
of the South. There are many who do not attend school, however, so 
that about one eleventh of the white people of the South cannot read and 
write. The illiteracy is growing less every year, however, and we hope 
the time will soon come when everybody wiU have the advantage of a 
good education. 

In 1882 Paul Tulane, who for many years had been a resident of New 
Orleans, gave $1,000,000 to found a university in that city. Vanderbilt 
University, at Nashville, was founded in the same way. During the same 
year George Peabody, the London banker, gave several million dollars 
for the cause of education in the South. 

Questions. What was the population of the South in 1910? How 
was this population divided ? How many negroes are there in the United 
States elsewhere than in the South? What have the southern people 
learned ? What can you say of the farms ? Of the cotton crop ? Com- 
pare the crop of 19 13 with that of 1S60. What is the size of the present 
crop ? 

Describe New Orleans. Why did the commerce of that city suffer? 
Tell of the mud and sand in the bar. What did Eads do? What was 
the effect of his jetties? Describe the great Exposition of 1884. What 
other expositions have been held? What have they shown? 

What can you say of the educational awakening in the South? 

Written Work. Give your reasons for beheving the South is in 
better condition to-day than in i860. 



484 American History 

LESSON 126 
INDUSTRIES OF THE SOUTH 

The South has learned that there are other treasures in' 
its soil besides cotton. MilHons of peach trees are being 

planted every year, bearing the finest of fruit, 
J.J.QP "* which is hurried in refrigerator cars to northern 

markets. In addition to this, great quantities of 
oranges, pineapples, strawberries, melons, and vegetables are 
raised. The southern farmer has learned the value of diver- 
sified crops, so that he no longer depends solely on cotton. 
In fact the fruit and vegetable crop of the South is rapidly 
rivaUng the cotton crop in value. 

For many years nearly all the manufacturing was done 
in the North ; of late years, however, there has been a great 

increase in the number of mills, especially cotton 

Cotton mills . . ^ r- j 

mills, in the South. On almost every stream, 
and in nearly every town of any size, may be found a 
cotton mill. In 1880 there were not more than two hun- 
dred cotton mills in the South. Now there are over eight 
hundred, and every year adds to their number. 

Millions of dollars are annually invested by northern and 
foreign capitalists in southern manufacturing. The near- 
ness of the cotton fields, the vast beds of coal for fuel, the 
almost inexhaustible water power, the open climate, the 
abundant and cheap labor, have induced the mills to come 
to the cotton, instead of requiring the cotton to go to the 
mills. If the world can depend on the West for its 
bread and meat, it can also depend on the South for its 
clothing. 

The southern coal fields have become very valuable. 
Vast deposits he in Alabama, Tennessee, and neighboring 



Industries of the South 485 

States. These deposits contain many times more coal than 
the fields of Great Britain. The fields of Alabama alone 
will supply the world for one hundred and fifty 

. . , Coal fields 

years. It is estimated that they are worth 
more than all the other property of that State combined. 
Only three States in the Union exceed Alabama in the 
mining of coal. The output of the southern coal mines is 
ten times greater than it was thirty years ago, and is 
increasing every year. 

Crude oil has been found in quantities in the States of 
Texas and Louisiana. These two States alone produced 
in one year thirty-seven million barrels. Texas 

. . Crude oil 

stands fourth in the list of States in the pro- 
duction of crude oil. In addition to oil, this State has 
natural gas wells that supply millions of cubic feet a 
day. 

The iron industry of the South is also rapidly increasing. 
In Alabama are great iron mines, and near them great 
foundries, in which as much pig iron is produced 

. Iron industry 

to-day as was produced by the entire country 
twenty years ago. Birmingham has become a coal and 
iron center, and the foundries rival those of Pennsylvania 
in size and production. 

In addition to this there are fifty milHon acres of hard- 
wood forests and one hundred and fifty million acres in 
pine forests in the South ; this being about one 

1 • 1 r 1 r r 1 • Forest area 

third of the forest area of the entire country. 

These forests have called for sawmills, lumber mills, and other 

attendant industries. 

The South has become a hive of industry. The eyes of 
the nation are upon its awakened industries. Its resources 
are attracting investors and home seekers ; its climate invites 



486 American History 

tourists; and its enterprising people are bravely facing the 
problems of the present and rejoicing in the possibilities of 
the days to come. 

Collateral Reading. " The New South," speeches by Henry W. 
Grady. " The Present South," by Edgar Gardner Murphy. 

Questions. What can you say of the peach crop? What other 
products are raised in the South? What has the farmer learned about 
crops? What can you say of cotton mills of late? How many were 
there in the South in 1880? How many to-day? What has induced 
the mills to come to the cotton? 

Describe the coal fields. Where are the deposits? How much do 
they contain? What can you say of the coal fields of Alabama? 
What is the increase in the output of coal? Where is crude oil 
found in the South? How much did Texas and Louisiana produce 
in one year? Tell of natural gas. Tell of the iron industry. Tell 
of the production of pig iron in Alabama. Tell of Birmingham. 
What can you say of the forests of the South? Wbat industries, do 
the forests call for? What attention is the South attracting? 

Written Work. Write a statement of the inducements the South 
offers to persons seeking investments and homes. 



LESSON 127 
RECENT POLITICAL EVENTS 

On the day of McKiniey's death, Theodore Roosevelt, of 
New York, the Vice President, took the oath of office and 
Theodore became the head of the nation. The new 
Roosevelt, President had already attracted attention for 
President j^^ vigorous poHcies as a public official in his 
own State and in Washington, and as a soldier in Cuba. 
He entered heartily into all great American enterprises, had 
definite opinions on all subjects, and undertook the duties 
of his office with independence and zeal 



Recent Political Events 



487 




Theodore Roosevelt 

(Copyright by Harris & Kwing, Washington, D. C. , 1909.) 

In the summer of 1902 occurred the great strike of the 
miners in the anthracite regions of Pennsylvania. Nearly 
one hundred and fifty thousand workmen were 
involved. The strike lasted five months, dur- dJL!,!wo„:» 

' Pennsylvania 

ing which period the mines were closed, manufac- 
tories had to stop, and a coal famine existed that brought 
great distress to the people. President Roosevelt interposed 



488 American History 

with a suggestion that the claims of the miners be submitted 
to arbitration. This was done, and after an exhaustive 
investigation an agreement was reached that was accepted 
by all parties concerned. 

A great war between Russia and Japan occupied the 
attention of the world during the administration of Presi- 
dent Roosevelt. After several months of war- 
reaty of ime, many desperate battles and great loss 
of life and property on both sides, President 
Roosevelt offered his services as peacemaker between the 
two countries. At his suggestion a conference was held 
by the representatives of both nations at Portsmouth, New 
Hampshire, and a treaty of peace was signed that ended 
the war. 

The greatest enterprise which has claimed the attention 
of the American people in recent times has been the con- 
A Panama struction of the Panama Canal, — a canal to 
canal pro- save ships sailing from the Atlantic to the Pacific 
^^^^ the long and expensive journey around Cape Horn. 

This vast undertaking was under consideration for more than 
fifty years. A treaty between England and the United States 
had been made before the Civil War, looking to the con- 
struction of an interoceanic canal, but its terms were not 
satisfactory and the project was allowed to drop. 

In 1 88 1 a French company undertook to build a canal 
across. Panama. Great sums of money were spent, but 
after several years of work the company failed and all 
labor on the canal ceased. While the French were work- 
ing at Panama, the United States was investigating the 
question of a canal at Nicaragua. There were many who 
favored the Nicaragua route, but the failure of the French 
company developed the possibility of the United States 



Recent Political Events 489 

purchasing their rights and continuing their work at that 
place. 

The Panama route was considered best. It is three hun- 
dred miles farther from the United States, but it is only 
forty-nine miles in length. The Nicaragua The two 
route is one hundred and eighty-four miles in routes com- 
length, more than one hundred of which, however, ^^^^° 
is through Nicaragua Lake and San Juan River. 

In 1902 Congress authorized the purchase of the French 
interest for $40,000,000, and appropriated $130,000,000 
to build the canal. A treaty was proposed to Treaty with 
Colombia, by which the United States was to Colombia and 
pay that country $10,000,000 for the right of *"*™^ 
way of the canal, and an annual rental of $250,000, begin- 
ning nine years later. Colombia wanted more money, 
however, and rejected the treaty. Whereupon Panama 
rose in rebelhon, threw off the yoke of Colombia, and declared 
itself free. The United States promptly recognized the 
independence of Panama, and proceeded to protect the new 
republic and make a new treaty with its agents for the right 
to build a canal. This treaty was made in December, 1903. 
By its terms the United States paid $10,000,000 to Panama 
for the concession of a strip of territory ten miles wide across 
the isthmus, and also guaranteed the independence of Panama. 

The canal was completed under the direction of Colonel G. 
W. Goethals of the U. S. A. Corps of Engineers, as Engineer- 
in-Chief. It is entirely under the control of the United States 
and is of great service to the commerce of the world. The 
distance by sea from New York to San Francisco has been 
reduced from 13,714 miles to 5299 miles. Ships going from 
Liverpool to San Francisco save 6000 miles. Through the 
saving in distance there is a great saving in time and expense 



490 



American History 




William H. Taft 

(Copyright, 1908, Moffett Studio, Chicago.) 



to ship owners, and the risks of the journey round Cape Horn 
are largely eliminated. 

In the election for President in 1908, William H. Taft, of 
Ohio, the Republican candidate, was chosen over William J. 
Bryan, who was again the nominee of the Democratic party. 
In 191 2 Woodrow Wilson, the candidate of the Democratic 



Recent Political Events 



491 



party, was elected President, defeating both William H. 
Taft, the candidate of the Republican party, and Theodore 
Roosevelt, the candidate of the Progressive party. 




Woodrow Wilson 



Questions. Who succeeded McKinley as President ? What can 
you say of the new President ? What great strike occurred in the 
summer of 1902 ? How many men were involved, and how long did 
it last ? What distress ensued ? How was it settled ? How did Presi- 
dent Roosevelt bring about peace between Russia and Japan ? 



492 American History 

What has been one of the greatest enterprises before the American 
people? What is the purpose of the Panama Canal? What was 
the previous treaty between England and the United States? Tell 
of the French company in 1881. What other route had been con- 
sidered? What is the advantage of the Panama route? How much 
money was paid the French company for their interest ? What treaty 
was proposed to Colombia? With what result? What did Panama 
do ? What treaty was then made ? What were its provisions ? What 
can you say of the advantages of the canal ? 

Who was elected President in igo8 ? Who was elected in 191 2 ? 

Written Work. Write a statement of the advantages to commerce 
to be gained by the Panama Canal. 



LESSON 128 
AMERICAN LITERATURE 

Washington Irving, of New York, is called " the Father 
of American Literature." In 1807 appeared " Knicker- 
bocker's History of New York." It is a humorous account 
of the old Dutch settlers and of life in New Amsterdam. 
Shortly afterwards appeared " The Sketch Book," containing 
" Rip Van Winkle " and the " Legend of Sleepy Hollow." 

William Cullen Bryant is among our first and greatest 
poets. He wrote " Thanatopsis " when he was nineteen 
years old. The " Lines to a Waterfowl " is among the noblest 
poems in the language. 

Henry W. Longfellow was born in Maine, but spent most 
of his life in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Among his best 
short poems is the " Psalm of Life." One of the longer 
poems is " Hiawatha," a graphic story of Indian hfe. The 
poem " Evangeline " is based upon the adventures of the 
Acadians. 



American Literature 493 

John Greenleaf Whittier is known as the " Quaker Poet." 
He was a poor boy, born on a farm in Massachusetts. He 
became deeply interested in the movement to free the slaves, 
and wrote many stirring war poems. " Snow Bound " 
is considered one of the best descriptive poems in the language. 

Oliver Wendell Holmes, who was born in Cambridge, 
Massachusetts, was a doctor as well as a poet and author. 
Among his humorous poems we may mention " The Won- 
derful One-Hoss Shay," and " How the Old Horse Won the 
Bet." " The Last Leaf " and " The Chambered Nautilus " 
are splendid poems in a serious vein. 

Edgar Allan Poe is among the greatest of imaginative 
writers. His short stories are among the finest in the lan- 
guage. " The Black Cat," " The Gold Bug," " The Murders 
in the Rue Morgue," and others have been translated into 
several foreign languages and widely used as models of story 
writing. His poems " The Raven," " The Bells," and 
" Annabel Lee " are well known in every household. 

Ralph Waldo Emerson and James Russell Lowell were 
critics of great ability, as well as authors and poets. 

Another famous poet is Joaquin (Waken') Miller, whose 
poem " Columbus " is among the most stirring of all our 
patriotic poems. Walt Whitman, Eugene Field, and James 
Whitcomb Riley deserve a place in every library. 

Henry Timrod and Paul Hamilton Hayne have written 
strong and beautiful poems of the South. Father Ryan, 
who wrote " The Conquered Banner," and James R. Randall, 
who wrote *' Maryland ! My Maryland," have produced 
pure and thrilling war lyrics. 

The most notable poet of recent years is Sidney Lanier, 
of Georgia. Two of his poems are " The Marshes of Glynn " 
and " The Song of the Chattahoochee." These contain 



494 American History 

some of the finest lines in our Kterature. Many critics, 
especially in England, have placed him beside the greatest 
of our literary artists. 

Questions. Who was the first American to win distinction as an 
author ? What is he called ? What humorous history did he write ? 
Name the two great stories that Irving wrote in "The Sketch Book." 
What can you say of Bryant ? What poem did he write at nineteen years 
of age ? What other poem of his can you mention ? 

What can you say of Longfellow? What Indian story did he write? 
What other poem of his can you mention ? Who was the Quaker poet ? 
Describe his early life. What kind of poems did he write at first ? 
What poem of his can you mention ? Who was Dr. Holmes ? What 
humorous poems of his can you mention ? What other poem can 
you mention ? What can you say of Poe ? Mention several of his 
short stories. Name several of his poems. Name two great American 
critics. Tell of Joaquin Miller. Tell of Whitman, Field, and Riley. 
Tell of Timrod and Hayne. Tell of Ryan and Randall. What can you 
say of Lanier ? Mention two of his poems. How is Lanier regarded ? 

Written Work. Write a list of the authors mentioned in this lesson, 
and write after each the books or poems spoken of. 



LESSON 129 

AMERICAN LITERATURE AND ART 

James Fenimore Cooper is the first of our great novelists. 
Spending much of his life on the frontier of New York in 
the pioneer days, he learned the story of Indian life and tra- 
ditions. His famous stories of " The Last of the Mohicans," 
" The Deerslayer," " The Pathfinder," " The Prairie," are 
splendid Indian stories. To him more than to any one else 
is due the rescue of Indian life from oblivion. Cooper had 
spent several years of his youth as a sailor, and therefore 
could write notable sea stories. Among these are " The 



American Literature and Art 495 

Pilot," ''The Red Rover," "The Two Admirals." There 
are no better books for boys in our literature than these 
stories of the early days. 

Nathaniel Hawthorne of Massachusetts is one of the fin- 
est masters of American prose. For many years he wrote 
without publication, in order to perfect his style. He spent 
several years abroad in study and observation. His most 
notable stories are " The Scarlet Letter," " Twice-Told 
Tales," '' The Marble Faun," and " Mosses from an Old 
Manse." 

Among later writers may first be mentioned Samuel 
Clemens, better known. as Mark Twain. "Roughing It" 
is a laughable story of a prospector's life in the West. 
" Innocents Abroad " is the most characteristic of all his 
books, and the one on which his fame mainly rests. It 
is a humorous account of his travels in Europe. Mark 
Twain is easily our greatest and most beloved humorist. 

Bret Harte has written splendid stories of early life in the 
West. Two of the best are '' The Luck of Roaring Camp " 
and " How Santa Claus came to Simpson's Bar." Edward 
Eggieston wrote stories of pioneer days in Indiana. " The 
Hoosier Schoolmaster " and " The Circuit Rider " are per- 
haps his best. William Gilmore Sims of South CaroHna has 
wrcten splendid stories based on the traditions of the early 
times in the South. " The Yemassee " is one of the most 
noted. 

Thomas Nelson Page has written stories of Virginia and 
the war. Some of his short stories in dialect are among the 
strongest and best in our literature. Joel Chandler Harris 
has made " Uncle Remus " immortal, and has forever em- 
balmed the folk lore of the slave quarters in the hearts of 
his readers. There are many other writers of stories in our 



496 



American History 



language that show the awakening of a true literary spirit 
among our people. 

In no branch of literature has more talent been shown than 
in the writing of history. William H. Prescott has told the 
romantic story of " Ferdinand and Isabella," " The Con- 
quest of Peru," and " The Conquest of Mexico." John 
Lothrop Motley wrote the story of the Dutch Republic. 
Francis Parkman has written many books relating the ad- 




/Vew fork Public Library 

ventures of the French in America. George Bancroft has 
written the " History of the United States." All these 
authors possessed a glowing style that has made history as 
thrilling as any romance ever written. 

In the department of Art we point with pride to Benjamin 
West, a poor Quaker boy in Pennsylvania, who showed early 
a talent for drawing, and who afterwards painted the wonder- 
ful picture, " Christ Healing the Sick." Copley painted 



American Literature and Art 497 

portraits of Revolutionary heroes. Gilbert Stuart is probably 
best known by his portrait of Washington. 

Among sculptors Hiram Powers has gained a world-wide 
reputation for the beautiful hgure of " The Greek Slave," 
now in the Corcoran Art Gallery at Washington. Other 
renowned American sculptors are Story, St. Gaudens, and 
MacMonnies, whose genius in design has won recognition 
the world over. 

We have shown our admiration for literature by the great 
libraries in New York, Boston, and elsewhere. The Library 
of Congress is one of the finest collections of books in 
the world, and the building is one of the most costly and 
beautiful. In nearly all our large cities are wonderful art 
galleries, where thousands of people view masterpieces of 
art in marble or on canvas. 

Questions. Who is the first of our great novelists ? Mention some of 
his Indian stories. JMention some of his sea stories. What can you say 
of Hawthorne? What of his industry? Name several of his most 
notable stories. What can you say of Clemens? Mention two of his 
books and describe them. What stories has Bret Harte written? 
Tell of Edward Eggleston. Tell of William Gilmore Sims. 

What kind of stories has Thomas Nelson Page given us ? Joel Chand- 
ler Harris? What can you say of Prescott? Motley? Parkman? 
Bancroft? 

What great artist can you mention ? What did Copley paint ? What 
famous portrait did Stuart paint ? Whom among sculptors can you men- 
tion? How have we shown our appreciation of literature and art? 
What famous library can you mention ? 

Written "Work. Make a list of the authors mentioned in this lesson, 
and place after each the name of one of his books. 

Note. — The above list of authors is given for the purpose of aiding the 
pupil in selecting a library of suitable volumes for his own reading. They 
afford the teacher an opportunity of impressing upon the pupil the value of 
the best literature. 



498 



American History 



LESSON 130 
OUR COUNTRY 

From the original thirteen States our country has grown 
to forty-eight States. The lirst census in 1790 showed about 
four milKons of people. In one hundred and 
ten years, by the census of 1900, it had reached 
over seventy-six millions. If to this we add the 
increase since the last census, together with the nine mil- 
lions of inhabitants in our island possessions, we shall find 



Growth of 
population 




Ships carry American products to every part of the world 

that the United States with its territorial possessions had 
in 1910 about one hundred and one million people. In the 
United States proper there are about twenty-six persons to 
every square mile. The center of population was, in 1790, 
twenty miles east of Baltimore, but it has been moving west- 



Our Country 499 

ward steadily until now it is six miles southeast of Columbus, 
Indiana. 

The area of the United States is a little more than three 
million square miles, which is nearly as much as all Europe. 
We have twenty States, each larger than Eng- 
land and Wales. Texas alone is larger than „'^^f °! I'J^ 

^ United States 

France or Germany, and is four times as large 

as England and Wales. Leaving out Russia, the United 

States is three times as large as all the rest of Europe 

combined. It has been estimated that a steamboat may 

pass up the Mississippi and Missouri rivers a distance of 

nearly four thousand miles, or as far as from New York to 

Constantinople. 

The wealth of the people of the United States is not far 
from one hundred and twenty bilHon dollars. If evenly dis- 
tributed, every inhabitant would have thirteen 
hundred dollars. This great wealth has been ^®^'*^^*"<^ 

° ^ production 

accumulated by our vast industries and com- 
mercial enterprises. It is estimated that the United States, 
with one fifteenth of the world's population, produces one 
fifth of the wheat, one third of the coal, one fourth of the 
gold, two fifths of the iron, one half of the oil, three fourths 
of the cotton, and one fifth of the corn of the whole 
world. 

The productions of the United States are so great that 
each year we could furnish each individual in the world 
with two suits of cotton cloth, with one and a half bushels 
of corn, with one fourth of a ton of coal, with four gallons 
of oil, with a half bushel of wheat, with one third of a 
pound of sugar, and with thirty pounds of meat. 

It is not surprising then to find American products in 
every market in the world. Our locomotives are sold in 



500 



American History 



China and Japan, our steel bridges and electric cars are 
found in Egypt, our knives, tools, sewing machines, 
typewriters, cash regis- 
ters, firearms, automo- 
biles, and a hundred other 
manufactured articles 
may be found anywhere 
in the world. Our foreign 
trade amounts to nearly 
two bil]i(~)n dollars a ^'ear. 




A view of New York City 



Our railroads have 
increased marvel- 
ously in the last 
half century. There 
are two hundred and 
twenty -five thou- 
sand miles of rail- 
road tracks in the 
United States. If 
put into a straight 
line they would en- 
circle the globe nine 
times. To carry the 
freight of our coun- 



try requires two million freight cars, which if stretched in one 
line, would be fifteen thousand miles long, or over one half 
the distance around the earth. 



Our Country 



501 



We point with pride to our great cities. New York has 
nearly five miUions of people and is second only to London 
among the great cities of the world. It covers 
three hundred and sixty square miles. Inside its ^j"/ ^^^^^ 
limits are some of the tallest buildings, as well as 
the busiest streets that can be found anywhere. The growth 




A modern battleship costs about ten mil/ion dollars 



of our cities has been phenomenal. A hundred years ago 
only six cities had over eight thousand people ; now there 
are five hundred such cities. A hundred years ago only 
three persons in every hundred lived in cities; now thirty- 
one out of every hundred live in cities. 

The recent war with Spain and the possession of islands 
in remote regions have demanded of the United States a 
large navy. At one time our naval force was ^j^^ ^ ^^ 
insignificant, but now we have a navy of twenty- the United 
five modern battleships, besides other types of ^ ^^ 
war vessels, amounting in all to nearly two hundred. The 
United States is second only to England in the world's 
naval power. 



502 American History 

One notable exploit of our navy was a voyage of forty- 
three thousand miles around the world, taken by sixteen 
battleships, beginning in December, 1907, and ending in 
February, 1909. Everywhere our splendid ships, costing from 
five to ten million dollars each, excited admiration from the 
nations of the world. The advocates of a naval armament 
beheve that the best way to insure peace is to be able to take 
care of ourselves in time of war. 

Thus we see that our country has grown in three hundred 
years from a small colony to a noble and mighty nation, 
taking rank as one of the great powers of the world. 
We have surveyed the early struggle for liberty, the mighty 
conflict with the mother country, the growth of our institu- 
tions, the sad tragedy of our Civil War, and have seen how in 
later years our people have become one people, with one 
patriotism, one purpose, and one destiny. With our hearts 
united in a great love for our country, let us say that we are, 
first of all, Americans, and that our whole country shall claim 
our patriotic service. 

Collateral Reading. " The Last Quarter Century in the United 
States," by E. Benjamin Andrews ; " Twenty Years of the Republic," 
by Henry Thurston Peck; " Our Country," by Josiah Strong. 

Questions. How many States have we now in the Union? How 
many people did the first census show? How many were there in 1900? 
How many in our island possessions? How many probably at this 
date? How many persons to a square mile? Where was the center of 
population one hundred years ago ? Where is it now ? What is the area 
of the United States? How does it compare with Europe? How many 
States have we, each larger than England and Wales? Compare Texas 
with France, Germany, England, and \\'ales. Compare the United 
States with Europe, leaving out Russia. Tell of a steamboat's voy- 
age up the Mississippi and Missouri rivers. 

What is the wealth of the United States? How much is this for each 



Our Countr) 503 

person? How has it been accumulated? Give some estimate of what the 
United States produces. What articles could we furnish each person in 
the world every year? What American articles do we find abroad? 
How many miles of railroad tracks have we ? What can you say of them ? 
How many freight cars are in use? Tell of them. Tell of New York 
City. Compare the city and country population a hundred years ago 
and now. What can you say of our navy? Tell of its recent exploit. 
With what emotions do we close our study, and with what sentiment 
should we regard our country ? 

"Written Work. \v^ritc your reasons for being proud and contented 
that you are an American. 

TOPICAL ANALYSIS 

Secession of the Southern States. The Confederate States organized ; 
reasons for disunion ; the attitude of the South ; the North and the South 
compared. 

Abraham Lincoln, President ; his early life ; his education ; his char- 
acter ; Lincoln-Douglas debates ; his inaugural address. 

Jefferson Davis, President of the Confederate States ; his education ; 
his career as a soldier ; his career as a statesman ; his farewell to the 
Senate. 

The Beginning of the War. Efforts for peace ; Fort Sumter bom- 
barded ; the call for soldiers ; first battle of Manassas ; retreat to Wash- 
ington ; Northern plan of the war ; Forts Henry and Donelson ; battle 
of Shiloh ; capture of New Orleans. 

Events on the Sea. Blockade of Southern ports ; running the block- 
ade; the Trent Affair ; ihc Alabama; the Alabama claims ; the Virginia 
and the Monitor; the duel in Hampton Roads. 

Progress of the War. McClellan in the Peninsula ; Jackson's Valley 
campaign ; Robert E. Lee in command ; Stuart's ride around McClellan ; 
battles around Richmond. 

Stonewall Jackson ; his early life ; character ; habits ; abihty as a soldier. 

Robert E. Lee ; his early life ; his career in Mexico ; his devotion to 
Virginia ; his character and habits. 

The Crises in the War. Second battle of Manassas ; Antietam ; 
Fredericksburg ; proclamation of emancipation ; Chancellorsville ; 
Gettysburg ; the fall of Vicksburg. 



504 American History 

The Closing Campaign. Chickamauga ; Ulysses S. Grant in com- 
mand ; his early life, and character as a soldier ; Sherman's campaign ; 
Grant and Lee in Virginia ; battles in the Wilderness ; Cold Harbor ; 
Petersburg ; Sheridan's raid ; exhaustion of the Confederacy ; the sur- 
render of General Lee ; assassination of Lincoln ; capture of Davis. 

Hardships of the War. Cost ; suffering ; scarcity of suppUes ; cloth- 
ing ; Confederate money ; the women ; the negroes ; the prisoners. 

Reconstruction Era. Andrew Johnson, President ; constitutional 
amendments ; Johnson quarrels with Congress ; his impeachment and 
trial ; conditions in the South ; negroes ; Ku Klux ; freedman's bureau ; 
carpet-baggers. 

Return of Peace. Chicago fire ; Boston fire ; panic of 1873 ; Whisky 
Ring ; resumption of specie payments ; Centennial Exposition ; Hayes 
and Tilden controversy ; electoral commission ; withdrawal of troops 
from the South ; strikers and riots ; assassination of Garfield. 

Progress of the Nation. Civil service reform ; two cent postage ; 
standard time ; the presidential succession ; Statue of Liberty ; inter- 
state commerce commission ; Chinese exclusion ; revision of the tariff ; 
Pan-American Congress ; McKinley Tariff Bill ; the World's Columbian 
Exposition. 

The War with Spain. Rebellion in Cuba ; destruction of the i/(n'«e; 
battle of Manila Bay ; exploit of Hobson ; El Caney and San Juan ; 
destruction of Cervera's fleet ; treaty of peace ; territorial expansion ; 
war in the Philippines ; Cuba, a free repubhc. 

Enterprises and Inventions. The Atlantic cable ; suspension bridges ; 
oil wells ; steel and iron construction ; inventors and inventions ; Thomas 
A. Edison ; electric hght ; electric cars ; the telephone. 

The West. Growth of Western cities ; the pony express ; Pacific rail- 
ways ; Homestead Act ; the Indians ; opening of Oklahoma ; Western 
farms ; machinery ; the passing of the buffalo ; ranches ; meat. 

The South. Cotton crop ; New Orleans and the Eads jetties ; Cotton 
Centennial ; expositions ; education ; fruit crop ; cotton mills ; corn 
fields ; crude oil ; iron industry ; forest area. 

Recent Events. Theodore Roosevelt, President ; the strike in Penn- 
sylvania ; Treaty of Portsmouth ; Panama Canal ; William H. Taft, 
President ; Woodrow Wilson, President. 



Search Questions 505 



SEARCH QUESTIONS 

Who was called the " Prince of Travelers "? Who first started on a 
voyage around the world? How did Florida get its name? Who dis- 
covered the Mississippi River? What is the oldest town in the United 
States? Who founded the town of Quebec? Who was the first English 
child born in America ? When and where was the first permanent white 
settlement in America? Whom did Pocahontas marry? When and 
where was slavery introduced into America? How did the Pilgrims get 
their name? Who was Samoset? What did the Indians call Miles 
Standish? Who were the Puritans? Who first grew tobacco for sale? 
Who settled Providence ? Who settled Hartford ? • What was the name 
of Hudson's ship? What became of Henry Hudson? How much did 
the Dutch pay for New York ? Who was called " Old Silver Leg " ? How 
did Wall Street get its name ? For whom was Maryland named ? For 
whom was Pennsylvania named? What does Philadelphia mean? 
What is Mason and Dixon's Line? For whom was Carolina named? 
How was rice introduced into Carolina ? For whom was Georgia named ? 
Who founded an Orphan Asylum near Savannah? Name the Original 
Thirteen Colonies. 

What people burnt their own town? Who was the " Apostle to the 
Indians"? Wlio pacified Canonicus in the Pequot War? What was 
the fate of King PhiHp ? Who rescued the town of Hadley ? What was the 
Charter Oak ? Who first explored the Mississippi River ? What was the 
fate of Marquette? Who first explored the entire length of the Missis- 
sippi? For whom was Louisiana named? What was the fate of La 
Salle ? What brave woman killed a body of Indian warriors ? What were 
the names of the first three wars with the French ? What EngUsh general 
was caught in an ambush ? What was the first name of Pittsburg ? What 
two generals were killed at Quebec ? How many supposed witches were 
hanged ? For whom was Harvard College named ? What was the battle 
cry of the Revolution? Who denounced the Stamp Act in Virginia? 
Who was called the " Father of the Revolution " ? What were the words 
of Captain Parker at Lexington? Who left his plow in the field to join 
the Continental Army? What did Webster say at Bunker Hill? Who 
were the tories? Who wrote the Declaration of Independence? What 
were the last words of Nathan Hale ? What did General Reed reply to 
those who offered to bribe him ? Who went from house to house to raise 
money for Washington? What did John Stark say at Bennington? 
Who was " The Swamp Fox "? " The Carolina Game Cock "? What 



506 American History 

woman captured six tories? What American General was guilty of 
treason? When and where did Cornwallis surrender? 

Who wrote " Poor Richard's Almanac " ? Who first raised the Ameri- 
can flag at sea ? Who saved the Northwest Territory to the United States ? 
What has Gladstone said of the Constitution of the United States? Who 
was the first President ? What did Webster say of Alexander Hamilton ? 
Where was Washington buried ? Who invented the cotton gin? What 
were the ringing words of Charles C. Pinckney? When did Washington 
become the capital? Who introduced the custom of sending written 
messages to Congress? What was the date of the Louisiana Purchase? 
What was the fate of Alexander Hamilton? Who invented the steam- 
boat? What was the first steamship to cross the ocean? What vessel 
became known as " Old Ironsides " ? Who said, " Don't give up the ship " ? 
What was Perry's message to General Harrison? Who wrote " The Star 
Spangled Banner "? What battle was fought after peace was declared? 
How did the name " Uncle Sam " originate? What State is called " The 
Mother of Presidents "? Who was President during the Era of (jood 
FeeUng? Who was called " The Great Pacificator " ? What was the line 
of the Missouri Compromise? What is the meaning of the Monroe 
Doctrine? When was the Erie Canal completed? What did Charles 
Carroll say in turning the first spadeful of earth for the Baltimore and 
Ohio Railroad ? What two ex-Presidents died on the same Fourth of July ? 

Who was called " Old Hickory " ? What was " The Spoils System " ? 
Between what two statesmen was " The Great Debate"? What State 
passed an ordinance of nullification ? Who said, " I would rather be right 
than be President " ? What was the " Hard Cider Campaign " ? What 
happened at the Alamo ? Who invented the harvesting machine ? Who 
invented the electric telegraph? What was the popular cry over the 
division of Oregon? Who was called " Old Rough and Ready " ? What 
general captured the City of Mexico ? What was the Wilmot Proviso ? 
When was gold discovered in California ? Who were the " Forty Niners " ? 
What did Garrison say of the Constitution? What was the Underground 
Railway? Who wrote " Uncle Tom's Cabin"? Name the Confederate 
States. When was Sumter bombarded ? What was the result of the first 
battle of Manassas? What general was killed at the battle of Shiloh? 
When was the first battle of the ironclads ? How and where was Stone- 
wall Jackson killed ? What was the war plan of the North ? What battle 
was the turning point of the war in the East? What admiral was lashed 
to the rigging in commanding his ships? When and where did Lee sur- 
render ? What was the fate of Lincoln ? What President was impeached 
by Congress? Name the \'ice Presidents who have become Presidents. 



Historical Recreations 507 



HISTORICAL RECREATIONS 

What president of the United States was taught by his wife? What 
man was saved from death by showing a pocket compass? In what 
battle and for what cause did George Washington lose his temper? 
What woman took her husband's place in battle ? What general lost a 
battle by not reading a note ? What general was captured while asleep 
in a tavern ? What man asked for his house to be fired upon to dislodge 
the British? What general received a nickname on the field of battle? 
What general died at the moment of victory ? What was the great event 
of 1803? What presidents were assassinated? What president died a 
month after his inauguration? What president never made a speech 
nor fought a battle ? 

What man persuaded the Indians to be at peace with his own ene- 
mies ? What father and son were presidents ? What great statesman was 
killed in a duel ? What general escaped capture by riding down a steep 
precipice? What statesman wrote an almanac? What colony was 
founded as a refuge for the poor ? What two states are named for queens ? 
What man did not take off his hat in the presence of a king? What 
president was impeached? What state is called the " Mother of Presi- 
dents "? What state has furnished the greatest number of presidents? 
What presidents spent their early lives in cabins? What other name 
did the American party have? What battle decided the fate of the 
French in America ? What voyager was killed in the Philippine Islands ? 
What school teacher became a great inventor? What place was sur- 
rendered without firing a gun? 

What Indian leader was a great orator? How were the Declaration 
of Independence and the portrait of Washington saved from capture? 
In what battle did a rooster crow loudly ? What president was inaugu- 
rated near the ruins of the Capitol building? What general came near 
being court-martialed for disobedience? What explorer gave whisky 
to the Indians? When did a few drunken soldiers set fire to a town? 
What was the last Confederate state to be readmitted to the Union? 
What fugitive slave was rescued from capture? What general had a 
horse named " Traveler " ? What was " Chnton's Big Ditch " ? What 
two commanders wagered a hat on the result of a battle? What state 
was the first and which the last to adopt the Constitution? Where is 
the flag that Paul Jones used now preserved ? 



5o8 



American History 



IMPORTANT DATES IN AMERICAN HISTORY 



Columbus discovered America, Oct. 12, 1492. 

John Cabot discovers the mainland, 1497. 

Ponce de Leon named Florida, 1513. 

Balboa discovers the Pacific, 15 13. 

Magellan's ship starts around the world, 1519. 

De Soto discovers the Mississippi, 1541. 

Jamestown, Virginia, settled, 1607. 

Hudson discovers the Hudson River, 1609. 

Negro slaves brought to Virginia, 1619. 

Pilgrims land at Plymouth, Dec. 21, 1620. 

Boston founded, 1630. 

Harvard College founded, 1636. 

Roger Williams founds Providence, 1636. 

English capture New Amsterdam, 1664. 

Bacon's Rebellion in Virginia, 1676. 

Philadelphia laid out. 1683. 

Witchcraft delusion, 1692. 

William and' Mary College founded, 1693. 

New Orleans founded by French, 17 18. 

Baltimore founded, 1730. 

Oglethorpe settles Georgia, 1733. 

Braddock's Defeat, 1755. 

The Fall of Quebec, 1759. 

The Stamp Act, 1765. 

The Boston Massacre, March 5, 1770. 

The Boston Tea Party, Dec. 16, 1773. 

First Continental Congress meets Sept. s, 1774. 

Battle of Lexington, April 19, 1775. 

Battle of Bunker HUl, June 17, 1775. 

Washington takes command, July 3, I77S- 

Declaration of Independence, July 4, 1776. 

Battle of Trenton, Dec. 26, 1776. 

Surrender of Burgoyne, Oct. 17, 1777. 

Winter at Valley Forge, 1777. 

The French Alliance, Feb., 1778. 

George Rogers Clarke takes Vincennes, 1779. 

Arnold's Treason, September, 1780. 

Cornvvallis surrenders, Oct. 19, 1781. 

Treaty of Paris, Sept. 3, 1785. 

Constitutional Convention, 1787. 

Washington inaugurated, April 30, 1789. 

Whitney invents cotton gin, 1793. 

French War with United States, 1798. 

Death of Washington, Dec. 14, 1799. 

Washington becomes capital, 1800. 

Thos. Jefferson becomes President, 1801. 



Louisiana purchased, 1803. 

Fulton invents steamboat, 1S07. 

The Embargo Act, 1807. 

Second War with England, 181 2. 

British capture city of Washington, August, 1814. 

Treaty of Ghent, Dec. 24, 1814. 

Battle of New Orleans, Jan. 8, 1815. 

The Savannah crosses the ocean, 1819. 

Florida bought from Spain, 1819. 

The Missouri Compromise, 1821. 

The Monroe Doctrine announced, 1823. 

The visit of Lafayette, 1824. 

The Erie Canal opened, 1825. 

Baltimore & Ohio Railroad begun, 1828. 

Andrew Jackson inaugurated, 1829. 

Hayne and Webster Debate, 1830. 

Nullification Ordinance of South Carolina, 

1832. 
McCormick invents the reaper, 1834. 
Texas declares her independence, 1836. 
First electric telegraph message, May 24, 1844. 
Anne.xation of Texas, 1845. 
Wilmot Proviso, August, 1S46. 
Howe invents sewing machine, 1846. 
City of Mexico captured, 1847. 
Gold discovered in California, January, 1848. 
Fugitive Slave law passed, 1850. 
Gadsden Purchase, 1853. 
First Atlantic Cable, August, 1858. 
South Carolina secedes, Dec. 20, i860. 
Fort Sumter bombarded, April 12, i86i. 
First battle of Manassas, July 21, 1861. 
The Trent Affair, November, 1861. 
The first battle of ironclads, March 9, 1862. 
Farragut captures New Orleans, April, 1862. 
Emancipation Proclamation, Jan. i, 1863. 
Battle of Gettysburg, July, 1863. 
Surrender of \'icksburg, July 4, 1863. 
Kearsarge sinks the Alabama, June, 1864. 
Surrender of Lee, April 9, 1865. 
Lincoln assassinated, April 14, 1865. 
Centennial Exposition, 1876. 
Maine destroyed at Havana, February, 1898. 
Battle of Manila Bay, May i, 1898. 
Destruction of Cer\'era's Fleet, July 3, 1898. 
Treaty with Spain, Dec. 10, 1898. 



List of Presidents and Vice Presidents 509 



1 

H 


> 


S 


Thomas Jefferson 
( Aaron Burr 
} George Clinton 
j George Clinton 
'( Elbridge Gerry 

Daniel D. Tompkins 

John C. Calhoun 
( John C. Calhoun 
'/ Martin Van Buren 

Richard M. Johnson 

John Tyler 

George M. Dallas 
Millard Fillmore 

William R. King 
J. C. Breckinridge 


s s 

=« s 

d^ 

d Ji 

d -a 
js d 




( Schuyler Loltax 

1 Henry Wilson 
WUliam A. Wheeler 
Chester A. Arthur 

Thomas A Hendricks 
Levi P. Morton 
Adlai E. Stevenson 
Garret A. Hobart 


f^_g d 
> "^ '^ 

in <^ pi 




Ov 


so 


>o 


>0 w 00 


lO 


W M <NO\0 -^OOO 


10 


\n 


m 


fO t^sO 00 M 00 M 






C^ 






fO ro ^ 


^ 


\o 'to --t^t^oo 


VO 


r^ 


00 


000 00 






r^ 


CO 


00 


00 OO CO 


00 


0000000000000000 


00 


00 


00 


00 00 00 Ov OS OS 




a 


4 


■f 


-t 


co" ^ rO 


oo" 


^ Tt 00 ij^ a> 00 co" m" 


^ 


„" 


to 


r^ d\ 00 ^ to -i- ^ 
















W MM 


M 


fO 


tsl 


M M M Csi M W M 




Q 


Q 


>. 


>, 


a ^^ 


s 


H-,< 1— >l— >M-,<>i H- > 


M 

a 


_>> 


>1 


d D. 1 d d d a 
d (D ^ 3 k^ 3 u 






"3 


"3 
>— . 


3 3 " 

1—. ^-ibn 


3 
1— » 


3 
I—, 


3 
1— > 






N 


^ 


rO 


HI 00 1^ 


t^ 


Nir)0'O-+0^M 


o\ 


00 


N 


00 00 00 00 00 00 (^ 


CO r^O 




m 


r^ 


■* 


>o too 


vO 


00t^t^O^00OO<7^ 














r^ 


r^ 


t^ 


•H MM 


I^ 


t^t^r^r-r^QOcO r- 


00 


00 


00 


00 C30 CO 


§ 


„- 


o" 


CO 


0" oo"" " 


^ 


mO^O^C^ ^t^row 


N~ 


s 


rC 


■* oi <n 00 0" 00" 0; 


r^ loco 





C4 


fO 


Hi 




M 


CS W C* N 


M 




c^ 


<N H <N 


n 




























i 


0. 
< 




rt 
S 






Q 


0. 

< 


rj (1 " ^ d M 




Q 



"3 







d 
















a 








(A Ul <U 
















i4 


" 


(A 


a 


c c ei 


r/l 


t/i tn en !/) 


d 


d 


d 


c fi c u: n t/, c 


e B tn 


H 




a 


=^ « !Z, 










d 


rt nj rf H-j rt ♦J rf 


d d 43 




^ tii 
1) _4 




.0 




d 


rt ci rt ri 










u u d 





1 


3 


3 3 



S 

Q 


1- u. tJ u 

gaagaagg 


2 


3 


3 


0. g. a E g, E g. 




>< 





■0 


3 
a 

1^ 


3 3 2 
0. D. g 
4; V 


3 


3 


3 














in 


in 


Ov 




1 
















'(J- m ^0 


"? 


SO 




OS 


















1 
VO 


1 
so 




M 00 
00 u, H 




b: 












00 00 10 


00 


CO 




?2 00 





y 












M M 00 








1 • 


ro 


r- 





c> 












r^ 


'-' f/i ^ OS fO r^ 2 
00 ^ 00 Os Os C 

1 d 1 1 1 
t^ C ., 10 OS ro so 

r^ i^ • 00 OD o^ 


ON M 


E 


o\ 


00 


? 


M <N ov 


'P 


M *! '! r^ M 






r^ 


•-' 0\ 





) 


T 


i^ ;.? 


^ 


fl- M t/l ^ CO . 10 SO 

1 ^01 on 1 1 

-« E ^S 2 SK 

oo „co ^ ^ X ca 
^ ■• M " 00 " " 


6 
S 





is 


1 M 


(H 


CO 


0- 


& 


M 10 

00 CO M 


CO 


a 




CO 


ag- 









M 






d 

c3 




M 


00-3 tn 00 CO 00 'd 


H (^ 


















„ d M M „ £3 




a 


tn 




C/1 


in c/i •• 


wi 


.- -C — •• '!3 _ .. .. 


-d 


tA 


-= E =« 


i/i 


Id 
H 


6 




§ 


§ ^^ 


e 


r§lr^lgg 


E 


d 
d 


E 
>-• 


E "= •* E E E E 
w -a "^ n t, 1- >-i 


g E 




♦^ 


U 


■<-• 


■!-> *J ii 


■M 


4) g • S Irt • " " 


■M 


d 
>> 


d ^ 

t) M oj aj oj 0) 
d .a >> d d d d 


tH ■*-» ^ 







a 





i is 




> 


Sg>. c>>>.dd 


d 





Sis 




H 





H 


H HO 


H 


00 foO M r.00 







H 


^ coO 000 


HO 






S 




a 




'-2. a 












H 
< 


S 


J3 


r3 


3 




n d 

T- oj S >- E > 
d i^i 5 rt -5 




g 




>< >| d r'< 


1 1 


fe 


'c 


<a 




.^2 .^ CJ 


t/^ 


>« -c S -2 > ffi S^ 


.2 


s 


.2 


>< >^ 




> 




'to 

> 


'3) 'Si m 
> > S 


d 

d 

H 


g .2 ■& d -5 g S 1 

;^o>h.j:z;^(i! 




d 

3 


d 
d 

H 




.s 


IJ 1 §:| g.2 

ooz;2;m!z;o 


&.2 S 


H 
Z 

a 



1 

1 


E 

< 




1— > 
1 


1 

d rt 


1 
1— > 

C 
< 


d 

_ 3h p% S g rt 
d Ef^'-^&-S:Sn 

d .-3 J3 E u .-3 d E 
^ :S !-=,►-, SI S fan >-. 


"o 

d 

s 

d 
g 
< 


i 

c 



1— 1 

1 
T3 

d 

< 


d 
d 




d2 S-a I'd & 
"st S - E s E 

5 a^ S g Sg 
oi^uoraOi^ 


1 *^ c 

H ■ - 

11-5 

|a§ 


6 
z 


1 - 


" 


rO 


^ W1-0 


r^ 


00 Ov M '■i CO -t "O 


>o 


r- 


CO 


OS M <N to ^ 10 


so r-OO 



5IO 



American History 



LIST OF STATES 



1. Delaware 

2 . Pennsylv AmA 

3. New Jersey 

4. Georgia 

5 . Connecticut 

6. Massachusetts. . 

7. Maryland 

8. South Carolina. 

9. New Hampshire . 

10. V'iRGINIA 

11. New York 

12. North Caroltoa. 
Rhode Island. . . 

Vermont 

Kentucky 

Tennessee 

Ohio 

Louisiana 

Indiana 

20. Mississippi 

21. Illinois 

22. Alabama 

Maine 

Missouri 

Arkansas 

Michigan 

Florida 

Texas 

Iowa 

Wisconsin 

California 

Minnesota 

Oregon 

Kansas 

West Virginia . . . . 

Nevada . 

Nebraska 

Colorado ......... 

North Dakota . . . . 

South Dakota . . . . 

Montana 

Washington 

43. Idaho 

44. Wyoming 

45- Utah 

46. Oklahoma 

47- New Mexico 

48. Arizona 



o o 
. a u 

.0 t 



date of ad- 


square 


POPULATION 


mission 


MILES 


1910 


Dec. 7, 1787 


2,050 


202,322 


Dec. 12, 1787 


4S,2iS 


7,665,111 


Dec. 18, 1787 


7,815 


2,537,167 


Jan. 2, 1788 


59,475 


2,609,121 


Jan. 9, 1788 


4,990 


1,114,756 


Feb. 6, 1788 


8,3 1. S 


3,366,416 


April 28, 1788 


12,210 


1,295,346 


May 23, 1788 


30,570 


1,515,409 


June 21, 1788 


9,305 


430,572 


June 25, 1788 


42,450 


2,061,612 


July 26, 1788 


49,170 


9.113,279 


Nov. 21, 1789 


52,250 


2,206,287 


May 29, 1790 


1,250 


542,610 


March 4, 1791 


9,565 


355,956 


June I, 1792 


40,400 


2,289,90s 


June I, 1796 


42,050 


2,184,789 


Feb. 19. 1803 


41,060 


4.767,121 


April 8, 1812 


48,720 


1,656,388 


Dec. II, 1816 


36,350 


2,700,876 


Dec. 10, 1817 


46,810 


1,797,114 


Dec. . 3. 1818 


56,650 


5,638,591 


Dec. 14, 1819 


52,250 


2,138,093 


March 15, 1820 


33,040 


742,371 


Aug. 10, 1821 


69,415 


3,293,335 


June 15, 1836 


53,850 


1,574,449 


Jan. 26, 1837 


58,915 


2,810,173 


March 3, 1845 


58,680 


752,619 


Dec. 29, 184s 


265,780 


3,896,542 


Dec. 28, 1846 


56,025 


2,2.4,771 


May 29, 1848 


56,040 


2,333,860 


Sept. 9, 1850 


158,360 


2.377.549 


May II, 1858 


83,365 


2,075,768 


Feb. 14, 1859 


96,030 


672,765 


Jan. 29, 1861 


82,080 


1,690,949 


June 19, 1863 


24,780 


1,221,119 


Oct. 31. 1864 


110,700 


81,875 


March i, 1867 


77,510 


1,192,214 


Aug. I, 1876 


103,925 


799,024 


Nov. 3, 1889 


70,795 


577,06s 


Nov. 3, 1889 


77,650 


583,888 


Nov. 8, 1889 


146,080 


376,053 


Nov. II, 1889 


69,180 


1,141,990 


July 3, 1890 


84,800 


325,594 


July 10, 1890 


97.890 


145,965 


Jan. 4, 1896 


84.970 


373,351 


Nov. 16, 1907 


70,430 


1,657,15s 


Jan. 6. 1912 


122,580 


327,301 


Feb. 14, 1912 


113,020 


204,354 



APPENDIX 

THE DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE, ADOPTED BY 
CONGRESS, JULY 4, 1776 

A DECLARATION BY THE REPRESENTATIVES OF THE UNITED STATES OF 
AMERICA, IN CONGRESS ASSEMBLED 

When, in the course of human events, it becomes necessary for one 
people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with 
another, and to assume among the powers of the earth the separate and 
equal stations to which the laws of nature and of nature's God entitle 
them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they 
should declare the causes which impel them to the separation. 

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal ; 
that they are endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable rights ; 
that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness ; that, to 
secure these rights, governments are instituted among men, deriving their 
just powers from the consent of the governed ; that, whenever any form 
of government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the right of the 
people to alter or abolish it, and to institute a new government, laying its 
foundation on such principles, and organizing its powers in such form, as 
to them shall seem most likely to effect their safety and happiness. Pru- 
dence, indeed, will dictate that governments long established should not be 
changed for light and transient causes ; and, accordingly, all experience 
hath shown that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are 
sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they 
are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pur- 
suing invariably the same object, evinces a design to reduce them under 
absolute despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such a 
government, and to provide new guards for their future security. Such 
has been the patient sufferance of these Colonies ; and such is now the 
necessity which constrains them to alter their former systems of govern- 
ment. The history of the present king of Great Britain is a history of 
repeated injuries and usurpations, all having in direct object the establish- 
ment of an absolute tyranny over these States. To prove this, let facts be 
submitted to a candid world : — 

He has refused his assent to laws the most wholesome, and necessary 
for the public good. 

He has forbidden his governors to pass laws of imra^diate and pressing 

5" 



5 1 2 American History 

importance, unless suspended in tlicir operations, till his assent should be 
obtained ; and, when so suspended, he has utterly neglected to attend to 
them. 

He has refused to pass other laws for the accommodation of large dis- 
tricts of people, unless those people would relinquish the right of repre- 
sentation in the legislature ; a right inestimable to them, and formidable 
to tyrants only. 

He has called together legislative bodies at places unusual, uncom- 
fortable, and distant from the repository of their public records, for the 
sole purpose of fatiguing them into compliance with his measures. 

He has dissolved representative houses repeatedly for opposing, with 
manly firmness, his invasions on the rights of the people. 

He has refused, for a long time after such dissolutions, to cause others 
to be elected ; whereby the legislative powers, incapable of annihilation, 
have returned to the people at large, for their exercise ; the State remain- 
ing, in the mean time, exposed to all the dangers of invasions from with- 
out, and convulsions within. 

He has endeavored to prevent the population of these States ; for that 
purpose, obstructing the laws for the naturalization of foreigners ; refus- 
ing to pass others to encourage their migration hither, and raising the 
conditions of new appropriations of lands. 

He has obstructed the administration of justice by refusing his assent 
tc laws for establishing judiciary powers. 

He has made judges dependent on his will alone, for the tenure of their 
ofi&ces, and the amount and payment of their salaries. 

He has erected a multitude of new officers, and sent hither swarms of 
officers, to harass our people, and eat out their substance. 

He has kept among us, in times of peace, standing armies, without the 
consent of our legislature. 

He has affected to render the military independent of, and superior to, 
the civil power. 

He has combined with others to subject us to a jurisdiction foreign to 
our constitution, and unacknowledged by our laws ; giving his assent to 
their acts of pretended legislation : — 

For quartering large bodies of armed troops among us ; 

For protecting them, by mock trial, from punishment for any murders 
which they should commit on the inhabitants of these States ; 

For cutting off our trade with all parts of the world ; 

For imposing taxes on us without our consent ; 

For depriving us, in many cases, of the benefits of trial by jury ; 

For transporting us beyond seas to be tried for pretended oflfenses ; 



Appendix 5 i 3 



For abolishing the free system of English laws in a neighboring province, 
establishing therein an arbitrary government, and enlarging its boundaries, 
so as to render it at once an example and fit instrument for introducing the 
same absolute rule into these Colonies ; 

For taking away our charters, abolishing our most valuable laws, and 
altering, fundamentally, the powers of our government ; 

For suspending our own legislatures, and declaring themselves invested 
with power to legislate for us in all cases whatsoever. 

He has abdicated government here, by declaring us out of his protec- 
tion, and waging war against us. 

He has plundered our seas, ravaged our coasts, burned our towns, and 
destroyed the lives of our people. 

He is at this time transporting large armies of foreign mercenaries to 
complete the works of death, desolation, and tyranny, already begun with 
circumstances of cruelty and perfidy scarcely paralleled in the most bar- 
barous ages, and totally unworthy the head of a civilized nation. 

He has constrained our fellow-citizens, taken captive on the high seas, 
to bear arms against their country, to become the executioners of their 
friends and brethren, or to fall themselves by their hands. 

He has excited domestic insurrections amongst us, and has endeavored 
to bring on the inhabitants of our frontiers, the merciless Indian savages, 
whose known rule of warfare is an undistinguished destruction of all ages, 
sexes, and conditions. 

In every stage of these oppressions, we have petitioned for redress in 
the most humble terms ; our repeated petitions have been answered only 
by repeated injury. A prince whose character is thus marked by every 
act which may define a tyrant is unfit to be the rider of a free people. 

Nor have we been wanting in attentions to our British brethren. We 
have warned them, from time to time, of attempts by their legislature to 
extend an unwarrantable jurisdiction over us. We have reminded them 
of the circumstances of our emigration and settlement here. We have 
appealed to their native justice and magnanimity, and we have conjured 
them, by the ties of our common kindred, to disavow these usurpations 
which would inevitably interrupt our connections and correspondence. 
They, too, have been deaf to the voice of justice and of consanguinity. 
We must, therefore, acquiesce in the necessity, which denounces our 
separation, and hold them, as we hold the rest of mankind, enemies in 
war ; in peace, friends. 

We, therefore, the representatives of the United States of America, 
in general congress assembled, appealing to the Supreme Judge of the 
world for the rectitude of our intentions, do, in the name and by the 



5 1 4 American History 

authority of the good people of these Colonies, solemnly publish and 
declare, That these United Colonies are, and of right ought to be, Free and 
Independent States; that they are absolved from all allegiance to the British 
Crown, and that all political connection between them and the State of 
Great Britain is, and ought to be, totally dissolved ; and that, as Free and 
Independent States, they have full power to levy war, conclude peace, con- 
tract alliances, establish commerce, and do all other acts and things which 
Independent States may of right do. And for the support of this Declara- 
tion, with a firm reliance on the protection of Divine Providence, we 
mutually pledge to each other our lives, our fortunes, and our sacred honor. 

John Hancock. 

New Hampshire. — Josiah Bartlett, William Whipple, Matthew 
Thornton. 

Massachusetts Bay. — Samuel Adams, John Adams, Robert Treat 
Paine, Elbridge Gerry. 

Rhode Island, etc. — Stephen Hopkins, William EUery. 

Connecticut. — Roger Sherman, Samuel Huntington, William 
Williams, Oliver Wolcott. 

New York. — William Floyd, Philip Livingston, Francis Lewis, Lewis 
Morris. 

New Jersey. — ■ Richard Stockton, John Witherspoon, Francis Hop- 
kinson, John Hart, Abraham Clark. 

Pennsylvania. — Robert Morris, Benjamin Rush, Benjamin Franklin, 
John Morton, George Clymer, James Smith, George Taylor, James 
Wilson, George Ross. 

Delaware. — Caesar Rodney, George Read, Thomas M'Kean. 

Maryland. — Samuel Chase, William Paca, Thomas Stone, Charles 
Carroll of CarroUton. 

Virginia. — George Wythe, Richard Henry Lee, Thomas Jefferson, 
Benjamin Harrison, Thomas Nelson, Jr., Francis Lightfoot Lee, Carter 
Braxton. 

North Carolina. — William Hooper, Joseph Hewes, John Penn. 

South Carolina. — Edward Rutledge, Thomas Hayward Jr., Thomas 
Lynch, Jr., Arthur Middleton. 

Georgia. — Button Gwinnett, Lyman Hall, George Walton. 



CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES 

Preamble 

We, the people of the United States, in order to form a more perfect 
union, establish justice, insure domestic tranquillity, provide for the 
common defense, promote the general welfare, and secure the blessings 
of liberty to ourselves and our posterity, do ordain and establish this 
Constitution for the United States of America. 

ARTICLE I. — LEGISLATIVE DEPARTMENT 

Section i. — Congress 

All legislative powers herein granted shall be vested in a Congress of 
the United States, which shall consist of a Senate and House of Repre- 
sentatives. 

Section 2. — House of Representatives 

The House of Representatives shall be composed of members chosen 
every second year by the people of the several States, and the electors in 
each State shall have the qualifications requisite for electors of the most 
numerous branch of the State Legislature. 

No person shall be a representative who shall not have attained to the 
age of twenty-five years, and been seven years a citizen of the United 
States, and who shall not, when elected, be an inhabitant of that State in 
which he shall be chosen. 

Representatives and direct taxes shall be apportioned among the 
several States which may be included within this Union, according to 
their respective numbers, which shall be determined by adding to the 
whole number of free persons, including those bound to service for a 
term of years, and excluding Indians not taxed, three-fifths of all other 
persons. The actual enumeration shall be made within three years after 
the first meeting of the Congress of the United Slates, and within every 
subsequent term of ten years, in such manner as they shall by law direct. 
The number of representatives shall not exceed one for every thirty 
thousand, but each State shall have at least one representative : and until 
such enumeration shall be made, the State of New Hampshire shall be 

515 



5i6 American History 

entitled to choose three ; Massachusetts, eight ; Rhode Island and Provi- 
dence Plantations, one ; Connecticut, five ; New York, six ; New Jersey, 
four ; Pennsylvania, eight ; Delaware, one ; Maryland, six ; Virginia, ten ; 
North Carolina, five ; South Carolina, five ; and Georgia, three. 

When vacancies happen in the representation from any State, the 
executive authority thereof shall issue writs of election to fill such 
vacancies. 

The House of Representatives shall choose their Speaker and other 
ofl&cers; and shall have the sole power of impeachment. 

Section 3. — Senate 

The Senate of the United States shall be composed of two senators 
from each State, chosen by the Legislature thereof, for six years ; and 
each senator shall have one vote. 

Immediately after they shall be assembled in consequence of the first 
election, they shall be divided as equally as may be into three classes. 
The seats of the senators of the first class shall be vacated at the expira- 
tion of the second year ; of the second class, at the expiration of the fourth 
year ; of the third class, at the expiration of the sixth year, so that one- 
third may be chosen every second year ; and if vacancies happen by 
resignation, or otherwise, during the recess of the Legislature of any State, 
the executive thereof may make temporary appointments until the next 
meeting of the Legislature, which shall then fill such vacancies. 

No person shall be a senator who shall not have attained to the age of 
thirty years, and been nine years a citizen of the United States, and who 
shall not, when elected, be an inhabitant of that State for which he shall 
be chosen. 

The Vice President of the United States shall be president of the Senate, 
but shall have no vote, unless they be equally divided. 

The Senate shall choose their other officers, and also a president pro 
tempore, in the absence of the Vice President, or when he shall exercise 
the office of President of the United States. 

The Senate shall have the sole power to try all impeachments : When 
sitting for that purpose, they shall be on oath or affirmation. When the 
President of the United States is tried, the Chief- Justice shall preside : 
and no person shall be convicted without the concurrence of two-thirds of 
the members present. 



The Constitution 5 1 7 

Judgment in cases of impeachment shall not extend further than to 
removal from office, and disqualification to hold and enjoy any office of 
honor, trust, or profit under the United States ; but the party convicted 
shall nevertheless be liable and subject to indictment, trial, judgment 
and punishment, according to law. 

Section 4. — Both Houses 

The times, places, and manner of holding elections for senators and 
representatives shall be prescribed in each State by the Legislature 
thereof ; but the Congress may at any time, by law, make or alter such 
regulations, except as to the places of choosing senators. 

The Congress shall assemble at least once in every year, and such 
meeting shall be on the first Monday in December, unless they shall by 
law appoint a different day. 

Section 5. — The Houses Separately 

Each house shall be the judge of the elections, returns, and quali- 
fications of its own members, and a majority of each shall constitute a 
quorum to do business ; but a smaller number may adjourn from day to 
day, and may be authorized to compel the attendance of absent members, 
in such manner, and under such penalties, as each house may provide. 

Each house may determine the rules of its proceedings, punish its 
members for disorderly behavior, and, with the concurrence of two-thirds, 
expel a member. 

Each house shall keep a journal of its proceedings, and from time to 
time publish the same, excepting such parts as may in their judgment 
require secrecy, and the yeas and nays of the members of either house 
on any question shall, at the desire of one-fifth of those present, be entered 
on the journal. 

Neither house, during the session of Congress, shall, without the con- 
sent of the other, adjourn for more than three days, nor to any other place 
than that in which the two houses shall be sitting. 

Section 6. — Piuvileges and Disabilities of Members 

The senators and representatives shall receive a compensation for 
their services, to be ascertained by law, and paid out of the treasury of the 
United States. They shall in all cases, except treason, felony, and 
breach of the peace, be privileged from arrest during their attendance at 



51 8 American History 

the session of their respective houses, and in going to and returning from 
the same ; and for any speech or debate in either house, they shall not be 
questioned in any other place. 

No senator or representative shall, during the time for which he was 
elected, be appointed to any civil ofhce under the authority of the United 
States, which shall have been created, or the emoluments whereof shall 
have been increased, during such time ; and no person holding any ofhce 
under the United States shall be a member of either house during his 
continuance in office. 

Section 7. — Method of passing Laws 

All bills for raising revenue shall originate in the House of Repre- 
sentatives ; but the Senate may propose or concur with amendments as 
on other bills. 

Every bill which shall have passed the House of Representatives and 
the Senate shall, before it becomes a law, be presented to the President 
of the United States ; if he approve, he shall sign it, but if not, he shall 
return it, with his objections, to that house in which it'shall have origi- 
nated, who shall enter the objections at large on their journal, and pro- 
ceed to reconsider it. If after such reconsideration, two-thirds of that 
house shall agree to pass the bill, it shall be sent, together with the objec- 
tions, to the other house, by which it shall likewise be reconsidered, and 
if approved by two-thirds of that house, it shall become a law. But in all 
such cases the votes of both houses shall be determined by yeas and nays, 
and the names of the persons voting for and against the bill shall be entered 
on the journal of each house respectively. If any bill shall not be returned 
by the President within ten days (Sundays excepted) after it shall have 
been presented to him, the same shall be a law, in like manner as if he 
had signed it, unless the Congress by their adjournment prevent its return, 
in which case it shall not be a law. 

Every order, resolution, or vote to which the concurrence of the Senate 
and House of Representatives may be necessary (except on a question of 
adjournment) shall be presented to the President of the United States ; 
and before the same shall take effect, shall be approved by him, or being 
disapproved by him, shall be repassed by two-thirds of the Senate and 
House of Representatives, according t» the rules and limitations pre- 
scribed in the case of a bill. 



The Constitution 519 



Section 8. — Powers granted to Congress 

The Congress shall have power : 

To lay and collect taxes, duties, imposts, and excises, to pay thp debts 
and provide for the common defense and general welfare of the United 
States ; but all duties, imposts, and excises shall be uniform throughout 
the United States ; 

To borrow money on the credit of the United States ; 

To regulate commerce with foreign nations, and among the several 
States, and with the Indian tribes ; 

To establish a uniform rule of naturalization, and uniform laws on 
the subject of bankruptcies throughout the United States ; 

To coin money, regulate the value thereof, and of foreign coin, and 
fix the standard of weights and measures ; 

To provide for the punishment of counterfeiting the securities and 
current coin of the United States ; 

To establish post-offices and post-roads ; 

To promote the progress of science and useful arts, by securing, for 
limited times, to authors and inventors the exclusive right to their respec- 
tive writings and discoveries; 

To constitute tribunals inferior to the Supreme Court ; 

To define and punish piracies and felonies committed on the high seas, 
and offenses against the law of nations ; 

To declare war, grant letters of marque and reprisal, and make rules 
concerning captures on land and water ; 

To raise and support armies, but no appropriation of money to that 
use shall be for a longer term than two years ; 

To provide and maintain a navy ; 

To make rules for the government and regulation of the land and 
naval forces ; 

To provide for calling forth the militia to execute the laws of the Union, 
suppress insurrections and repel invasions. 

To provide for organizing, arming, and disciplining the militia, and 
for governing such part of them as may be employed in the service of the 
United States, reserving to the States respectively the appointment of 
the officers, and the authority of training the militia according to the 
discipline prescribed by Congress ; 



520 American History 

To exercise exclusive legislation in all cases whatsoever over such 
district (not exceeding ten miles square) as may, by cession of particular 
States, and the acceptance of Congress, become the seat of the govern- 
ment of the United States, and to exercise like authority over all places 
purchased by the consent of the Legislature of the State in which the 
same shall be, for the erection of forts, magazines, arsenals, dockyards, 
and other needful buildings ; — And 

To make all laws which shall be necessary and proper for carrying 
into execution the foregoing powers, and all other powers vested by this 
Constitution in the government of the United States, or in any depart- 
ment or ofhcer thereof. 

Section 9. — Powers forbidden to the United States 

The migration or importation of such persons as any of the States now 
existing shall think proper to admit, shall not be prohibited by the Con- 
gress prior to the year one thousand eight hundred and eight, but a tax 
or duty may be imposed on such importation, not exceeding ten dollars 
for each person. 

The privilege of the writ of habeas corpus shall not be suspended, 
unless when in cases of rebellion or invasion the public safety may 
require it. 

No bill of attainder or ex-post-facto law shall be passed. 

No capitation or other direct tax shall be laid, unless in proportion to 
the census or enumeration hereinbefore directed to be taken. 

No tax or duty shall be laid on articles exported from any State. 

No preference shall be given by any regulation of commerce or rev- 
enue to the ports of one State over those of another ; nor shall vessels 
bound to, or from, one State, be obliged to enter, clear, or pay duties 
in another. 

No money shall be drawn from the treasury but in consequence of 
appropriations made by law ; and a regular statement and account of the 
receipts and expenditures of all public money shall be published from 
time to time. 

No title of nobility shall be granted by the United States: And no 
person holding any ofhce of profit or trust under them, shall, without the 
consent of the Congress, accept of any present, emolument, office, or title, 
of any kind whatever, from any king, prince, or foreign state. 



The Constitution 521 

Section 10. — Powers forbidden to the States 

No State shall enter into any treaty, alliance, or confederation ; grant 
letters of marque and reprisal ; coin money ; emit bills of credit ; make 
anything but gold and silver coin a tender in payment of debts ; pass any 
bill of attainder, ex-post-facto law, or law impairing the obligation of 
contracts, or grant any title of nobility. 

No State shall, without the consent of the Congress, lay any imposts 
or duties on imports or exports, except what may be absolutely neces- 
sary for executing its inspection laws ; and the net produce of all duties 
and imposts, laid by any State on imports or exports, shall be for the use 
of the treasury of the United States ; and all such laws shall be subject to 
the revision and control of the Congress. 

No State shall, without the consent of Congress, lay any duty of ton- 
nage, keep troops, or ships-of-war, in time of peace, enter into any agree- 
ment or compact with another State, or with a foreign power, or engage 
in war, unless actually invaded, or in such imminent danger as will not 
admit of delay. 

ARTICLE II. — EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT 
Section i . — President and Vice President 

The executive power shall be vested in a President of the United States 
of America. He shall hold his office during the term of four years, and, 
together with the Vice President, chosen for the same term, be elected, 
as follows : 

Each State shall appoint, in such manner as the Legislature thereof 
may direct, a number of electors, equal to the whole number of senators 
and representatives to which the State may be entitled in the Congress : 
but no senator or representative, or person holding an office of trust or 
profit under the United States, shall be appointed an elector. 

The electors shall meet in their respective States, and vote by ballot 
for two persons, of whom one at least shall not be an inhabitant of the 
same State with themselves. And they shall make a list of all the persons 
voted for, and of the number of votes for each ; which list they shall sign 
and certify and transmit scaled to the seat of the government of the United 
States, directed to the president of the Senate. The president of the 



522 American History 



Senate shall, in the presence of the Senate and House of Representatives, 
open all the certificates, and the votes shall then be counted. The person 
having the greatest number of votes shall be the President, if such number 
be a majority of the whole number of electors appointed ; and if there be 
more than one who have such majority, and have an equal number of 
votes, then the House of Representatives shall immediately choose by 
ballot one of them for President ; and if no person have a majority, then 
from the five highest on the list the said house shall, in like manner, choose 
the President. But in choosing the President, the votes shall be taken 
by States, the representation from each State having one vote ; a quorum 
for this purpose shall consist of a member or members from two-thirds 
of the States, and a majority of all the States shall be necessary to a choice. 
In every case, after the choice of the President, the person having the 
greatest number of votes of the electors shall be the Vice President. 
But if there should remain two or more who have equal votes, the Senate 
shall choose from them by ballot the Vice President. 

The Congress may determine the time of choosing the electors, and the 
day on which they shall give their votes ; which day shall be the same 
throughout the United States. 

No person except a natural born citizen, or a citizen of the United 
States at the time of the adoption of this Constitution, shall be eligible 
to the office of President ; neither shall any person be eligible to that office 
who shall not have attained to the age of thirty-five years, and been 
fourteen years resident within the United States. 

In case of the removal of the President from office, or of his death, 
resignation, or inability to discharge the powers and duties of the said 
office, the same shall devolve on the Vice President, and the Congress 
may bylaw provide for the case of removal, death, resignation, or inability, 
both of the President and Vice President, declaring what officer shall then 
act as President ; and such ofi&cer shall act accordingly until the dis- 
ability be removed, or a President shall be elected. 

The President shall, at stated times, receive for his services a com- 
pensation which shall neither be increased nor diminished during the 
period for which he shall have been elected, and he shall not receive 
within that period any other emolument from the United States, or any 
of them. 

Before he enter on the execution of his office, he shall take the follow- 
ing oath or affirmation : — "I do solemnly swear (or atTirm) that I will 



The Constitution 523 

faithfully execute the office of President of the United States, and will, 
to thie best of my ability, preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution 
of the United States." 



Section 2. — Powers of the President 

The President shall be commander-in-chief of the army and navy of 
the United States, and of the militia of the several States, when called 
into the actual service of the United States ; he may require the opinion, 
in writing, of the principal officer in each of the executive departments, 
upon any subject relating to the duties of their respective offices ; and he 
shall have power to grant reprieves and pardons for offenses against the 
United States, except in cases of impeachment. 

He shall have power, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, 
to make treaties, provided two-thirds of the senators present concur ; 
and he shall nominate, and by and with the advice and consent of the 
Senate shall appoint ambassadors, other public ministers and consuls, 
judges of the Supreme Court, and all other officers of the United States, 
whose appointments are not herein otherwise provided for, and which 
shall be established by law : but the Congress may by law vest the appoint- 
ment of such inferior officers, as they think proper, in the President alone, 
in the courts of law, or in the heads of departments. 

The President shall have power to fill up all vacancies that may happen 
during the recess of the Senate, by granting commissions which shall 
expire at the end of their next session. 



Section 3. — Duties of the President 

He shall from time to time give to the Congress information of the 
state of the Union, and recommend to their consideration such measures 
as he shall judge necessary and expedient ; he may, on extraordinary 
occasions, convene both houses, or either of them, and in case of dis- 
agreement between them with respect to the time of adjournment, he 
may adjourn them to such time as he shall think proper ; he shall receive 
ambassadors and other public ministers ; he shall take care that the laws 
be faithfully executed, and shall commission all the officers of the United 
States. 



524 American History 

Section 4. — Impeachment 

The President, Vice President, and all civil officers of the United States, 
^hall be removed from office on impeachment for, and conviction of, 
treason, bribery, or other high crimes and misdemeanors. 



ARTICLE III. — JUDICIAL DEPARTMENT 

Section i. — United States Courts 

The judicial power of the United States shall be vested in one Supreme 
Court, and in such inferior courts as the Congress may from time to 
time ordain and establish. The judges, both of the Supreme and inferior 
courts, shall hold their offices during good behavior, and shall, at stated 
times, receive for their services a compensation which shall not be 
diminished during their continuance in office. 

Section 2. — Jurisdiction of United States Courts 

The judicial power shall extend to all cases, in law and equity, arising 
under this Constitution, the laws of the United States, and treaties made 
or which shall be made, under their authority ; — to all cases affecting 
ambassadors, other public ministers, and consuls ; — to all cases of 
admiralty and maritime jurisdiction ; — to controversies to which the 
United States shall be a party ; — to controversies between two or more 
States ; — between a State . and citizens of another State ; — between 
citizens of different States; — between citizens of the same State claim- 
ing lands under grants of different States, and between a State, or the 
citizens thereof, and foreign states, citizens or subjects. 

In all cases affecting ambassadors, other public ministers and consuls, 
and those in which a State shall be party, the Supreme Court shall have 
original jurisdiction. In all other cases before mentioned, the Supreme 
Court shall have appellate jurisdiction, both as to law and fact, with such 
exceptions and under such regulations as the Congress shall make. 

The trial of all crimes, except in cases of impeachment, shall be by 
jury ; and such trial shall be held in the State where the said crimes shall 
have been committed ; but when not committed within any State, the trial 
shall be at such place or places as the Congress may by law have directed. 



The Constitution 525 

Section 3. — Treason 

Treason against the United States shall consist only in levying war 
against them, or in adhering to their enemies, giving them aid and 
comfort. 

No person shall be convicted of treason unless on the testimony of two 
witnesses to the same overt act, or on confession in open court. 

The Congress shall have power to declare the punishment of treason, 
but no attainder of treason shall work corruption of blood, or forfeiture, 
except during the life of the person attainted. 



ARTICLE IV. — RELATIONS OF THE STATES TO EACH 

OTHER 

Section i. — Official Acts 

Full faith and credit shall be given in each State to the public acts, 
records, and judicial proceedings of every other State. And the Congress 
may by general laws, prescribe the manner in which such acts, records, 
and proceedings shall be proved, and the effect thereof. 

Section 2. — Privileges of Citizens 

The citizens of each State shall be entitled to all privileges and immuni- 
ties of citizens in the several States. 

A person charged in any State with treason, felony, or other crime, who 
shall flee from justice, and be found in another State, shall, on demand 
of the executive authority of the State from which he fled, be delivered 
up, to be removed to the State having jurisdiction of the crime. 

No person held to service or labor in one State, under the laws thereof, 
escaping into another, shall, in consequence of any law or. regulation 
therein, be discharged from such service or labor, but shall be delivered 
up on claim of the party to whom such service or labor may be due. 

Section 3. — New States and Territories 

New States may be admitted by the Congress into this Union ; but no 
new State shall be formed or erected within the jurisdiction of any other 
State ; nor any State be formed by the junction of two or more States, or 



526 American History 

parts of States, without the consent of the Lcgishitures of the States 
concerned as well as of the Congress. 

The Congress shall have power to dispose of and make all needful 
rules and regulations respecting the territory or other property belonging 
to the United States ; and nothing in this Constitution shall be so con- 
strued as to prejudice any claims of the United States, or of any partic- 
ular State. 

Section 4. — Protection of the States 

The United States shall guarantee to every State in this Union a 
republican form of government, and shall protect each of them against 
invasion, and on application of the Legislature, or of the Executive (when 
the Legislature cannot be convened) against domestic violence. 

ARTICLE V. — AMENDMENTS 

The Congress, whenever two-thirds of both houses shall deem it neces- 
sary, shall propose amendments to this Constitution, or, on the appli- 
cation of the Legislatures of two-thirds of the several States, shall call a 
convention for proposing amendments, which, in either case, shall be 
valid to all intents and purposes, as part of this Constitution, when ratified 
by the Legislatures of three-fourths of the several States, or by conven- 
tions in three-fourths thereof, as the one or the other mode of ratification 
may be proposed by the Congress ; provided that no amendment which 
may be made prior to the year one thousand eight hundred and eight 
shall in any manner aflfect the first and fourth clauses in the ninth section 
of the first article; and that no State, without its consent, shall be de- 
prived of its equal suffrage in the Senate. 

ARTICLE VI. — GENERAL PROVISIONS 

All debts contracted, and engagements entered into, before the adop- 
tion of this Constitution, shall be as valid against the United States under 
this Constitution, as under the confederation. 

This Constitution, and the laws of the United States which shall be 
made in pursuance thereof ; and all treaties made, or which shall be made, 
under the authority of the United States, shall be the supreme law of the 
land ; and the judges in every State shall be bound thereby, anything in 
the Constitution or laws of any State to the contrary notwithstanding. 

The senators and representatives before mentioned, and the members 
of the several State Legislatures, and all executive and judicial ofhcers, 



The Constitution 



527 



both of the United States and of the several States, shall be bound by 
oath or affirmation to support this Constitution ; but no religious test shall 
ever be required as a qualification to any office or public trust under the 
United States. 



ARTICLE VII. — RATIFICATION OF THE CONSTITUTION 

The ratification of the Conventions of nine States shall be sufficient for 
the establishment of this Constitution between the States so ratifying the 
same. 

Done in convention, by the unanimous consent of the States 
present, the seventeenth day of September, in the year of our 
Lord one thousand seven hundred and eighty-seven, and of the 
independence of the United States of America the twelfth. 
In witness whereof, we have hereunto subscribed our names. 

GEORGE WASHINGTON, 

President, and Deputy from Virginia 



New Hampshire 
John Langdon 
Nicholas Oilman 

Massachusetts 
Nathaniel Gorham 
RuFUS King 

Connecticut 
William Samuel Johnson 
Roger Sherman 

New York 
Alexander Hamilton 

New Jersey 
William Livingston 
David Brearley 
William Paterson 
Jonathan Dayton 

Pennsylvania 
Benjamin Franklin 
Thomas Mifflin 
Robert Morris 
George Clymer 
Thomas Fitzsimons 
Jared Ingersoll 
James Wilson 
Gouverneur Morris 
Attest: WILLIAM JACKSON, 



Delaware 
George Read 
Gunning Bedford, Jr. 
John Dickinson 
Richard Bassett 
Jacob Broom 

Maryland 
James M 'Henry 
Daniel of St. Thomas Jenifer 
Daniel Carroll 

Virginia 
John Blair 
James Madison, Jr. 

North Carolina 
William Blount 
Richard Dobbs Spaight 
Hugh Williamson 

South Carolina 
John Rutledge 
Charles C. Pinckney 
Charles Pinckney 
Pierce Butler 

Georgia 
William Few 
Abraham Baldwin 
Secretary. 



528 American History 



« AMENDMENTS 

Article I. — Congress shall make no law respecting an establish- 
ment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof ; or abridging the 
freedom of speech, or of the press ; or the right of the people peaceably to 
assemble, and to petition the government for redress of grievances. 

Article II. — A well-regulated militia being necessary to the security 
of a free State the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be 
infringed. 

Article III. — No soldier shall, in time of peace, be quartered in any 
house, without the consent of the owner ; nor in time of war but in a 
manner to be prescribed by law. 

Article IV. — The right of the people to be secure in their persons, 
houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, 
shall not be violated, and no warrants shall issue, but upon probable 
cause, supported by oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the 
place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized. 

Article V. — No person shall be held to answer for a capital, or 
otherwise infamous crime, unless on a presentment or indictment of a 
grand jury, except in cases arising in the land or naval forces, or in the 
militia, when in actual service in time of war and public danger ; nor shall 
any person be subject for the same offense to be twice put in jeopardy of 
life or limb ; nor shall be compelled in any criminal case to be a witness 
against himself, nor to be deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due 
process of law ; nor shall private property be taken for public use, with- 
out just compensation. 

Article VI. — In all criminal prosecutions, the accused shall enjoy 
the right to a speedy and public trial, by an impartial jury of the State 
and district wherein the crime shall have been committed, which district 
shall have been previously ascertained by law, and to be informed of the 
nature and cause of the accusation ; to be confronted with the witnesses 
against him ; to have compulsory process for obtaining witnesses in his 
favor, and to have the assistance of counsel for his defense. 

Article VII. — In suits at common law, where the value in con- 
troversy shall exceed twenty dollars, the right of trial by jury shall be 
preserved, and no fact tried by a jury shall be otherwise reexamined in 
any court of the United States than according to the rules of common law. 



The Constitution 529 

Article VIII. — Excessive bail shall not be required, nor excessive 
fines imposed, nor cruel and unusual punishments inflicted. 

Article IX. — The enumeration in the Constitution of certain rights 
shall not be construed to deny or disparage others retained by the people. 

Article X. — The powers not delegated to the United States by the 
Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States 
respectively, or to the people. 

Article XL — The judicial power of the United States shall not be 
construed to extend to any suit in law or equity, commenced or prose- 
cuted against any of the United States by citizens of another State, or by 
citizens or subjects of any foreign state. 

Article XII. — The electors shall meet in their respective States, and 
vote by ballot for President and Vice President, one of whom, at least, 
shall not be an inhabitant of the same State with themselves ; they shall 
name in their ballots the person voted for as President, and in distinct 
ballots the person voted for as Vice President ; and they shall make 
distinct lists of all persons voted for as President, and of all persons 
voted for as Vice President, and of the number of votes for each, which 
list they shall sign and certify, and transmit sealed to the seat of the 
government of the United States, directed to the president of the Senate ; 
— the president of the Senate shall, in the presence of the Senate and 
House of Representatives, open all the certificates, and the votes shall then 
be counted ; — the person having the greatest number of votes for Presi- 
dent, shall be the President, if such number be a majority of the whole 
number of electors appointed ; and if no person have such majority, then 
from the persons having the highest numbers not exceeding three on the 
list of those voted for as President, the House of Representatives shall 
choose immediately, by ballot, the President. But in choosing the Presi- 
dent, the votes shall be taken by States, the representation from each State 
having one vote ; a quorum for this purpose shall consist of a member or 
members from two-thirds of the States, and a majority of all the States 
shall be necessary to a choice. And if the House of Representatives 
shall not choose a President whenever the right of choice shall devolve 
upon them, before the fourth day of March next following, then the Vice 
President shall act as President, as in the case of the death or other con- 
stitutional disability of the President. The person having the greatest 
number of votes as Vice President, shall be the Vice President, if such 
number be a majority of the whole number of electors appointed ; and 



530 American History 



if no person have a majority, then from the two highest numbers on the 
h'st, the Senate shall choose the Vice President ; a quorum for the purpose 
shall consist of two-thirds of the whole number of senators, and a majority 
of the whole number shall be necessary to a choice. But no person con- 
stitutionally ineligible to the office of President shall be eligible to that 
of Vice President of the United States. 

Article XIII. — Section i. Neither slavery nor involuntary servi- 
tude, except as a punishment for crime, whereof the party shall have been 
duly convicted, shall exist within the United States, or any place sub- 
ject to their jurisdiction. 

Section 2. Congress shall have power to enforce this article by 
appropriate legislation. 

Article XIV. — Section i. All persons born or naturalized in the 
United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the 
United States and of the State wherein they reside. No State shall make 
or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of 
citizens of the United States ; nor shall any State deprive any person of 
life, liberty, or property, without due process of law, nor deny to any 
person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws. 

Section 2. Representatives shall be apportioned among the several 
States according to their respective numbers, counting the whole number 
of persons in each State, excluding Indians not taxed. But when the 
right to vote at any election for the choice of electors for President and 
Vice President of the United States, representatives in Congress, the 
executive or judicial officers of a State, or the members of the Legislature 
thereof, is denied to any of the male inhabitants of such State, being 
twenty-one years of age, and citizens of the United States, or in any way 
abridged, except for participation in rebellion or other crime, the basis of 
representation therein shall be reduced in the proportion which the 
number of such male citizens shall bear to the whole number of male 
citizens twenty-one years of age in such State. 

Section 3. No person shall be a senator or representative in Congress, 
or elector of President or Vice President, or hold any office, civil or mili- 
tary, under the United States, or under any State, who having previously 
taken an oath as a member of Congress, or as an officer of the United 
States, or as a member of any Slate Legislature, or as an executive or 
judicial officer of any State, to support the Constitution of the United 
States, shall have engaged in insurrection or rebellion against the same, 



The Constitution 531 



or given aid or comfort to the enemies thereof. But Congress may, by a 
vote of two-thirds of each house, remove such disability. 

Section 4. The validity of the public debt of the United States, 
authorized by law, including debts incurred for payment of pensions and 
bounties for services in suppressing insurrection or rebellion, shall not be 
questioned. But neither the United States nor any State shall assume 
or pay any debt or obligation incurred in aid of insurrection or rebellion 
against the United States, or any claim for the loss or emancipation of 
any slave ; but all such debts, obligations, and claims shall be held illegal 
and void. 

Section 5. Congress shall have power to enforce, by appropriate 
legislation, the provisions of this article. 

Article XV. — Section i. The rights of citizens of the United 
States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States, or by 
any State, on account of race, color, or previous condition of servitude. 

Section 2. Congress shall have power to enforce this article by ap- 
propriate legislation. 

Article XVI. — The Congress shall have power to lay and collect 
taxes on incomes, from whatever source derived, without apportionment, 
among the several States, and without regard to any census or enumera- 
tion. 

Article XVII. — The Senate of the United States shall be composed 
of two senators from each State, elected by the people thereof, for six 
years ; and each senator shall have one vote. The electors in each 
State shall have the qualifications requisite for electors of the numerous 
branches of the State Legislatures. 

When vacancies happen in the representation of any State in the 
Senate, the executive authority of such State shall issue writs of election 
to fill such vacancies : Provided, That the Legislature of any State may 
empower the executive thereof to make temporary appointments until 
the people fill the vacancies by election as the Legislature may direct. 

This amendment shall not be so construed as to afifect the election or 
term of any senator chosen before it becomes valid as part of the Consti- 
tution. 



INDEX 



Abolition societies, 350. 
Abraham, Heights of, 150. 

Plains of, 151. 
Acadians, expulsion of, 148. 
Adams, John, 195, 196. 

President, 258. 

death of, 310. 
Adams, John Quincy, 301, 303. 
Adams, Samuel, 180, 181, 184. 
Admission of States, 510. 
Africa, to sail round, 3. 
Aguinaldo, 464. 
Alabama, admitted, 296. 
Alabama, the cruise of, 388. 

sinking of, 389. 

claims for, 389, 390, 444. 
Alamo, the, sss. 
Alaska, purchase of, 439. 

boundary of, 439. 
Albany, site of, 74, 78. 
Albemarle, Duke of, 94. 

county of, 96. 
Alexander, son of Massasoit, 118. 
Alien and sedition laws, 259. 
Alleghany Mountains, 131. 
Allen, Ethan, 189. 
Alliance, the Holy, 300. 
Amendments, thirteenth, 435. 

fourteenth, 436. 

fifteenth, 437. 

See Appendix. 
America, naming of, 17, 18. 
Anderson, Maj. Robert, 374, 375. 
Andre, Maj. John, 217, 218. 
Andros, Sir Edmund, 1 24. 

tyranny of, 123-125. 
Annapolis, battle near, 84. 
Anthracite coal, 309. 
Anti-Federalist party, 250. 
"Apostle to the Indians," 113. 
Appomattox Court House, 426. 
Area of United States, 499. 
Ark and Dove, 83. 
Arlington, Lord, 109. 
Arnold, Benedict, 191, 207. 

treason of, 217. 

later life, 218. 
Arthur, Chester A., President, 449. 
Articles of Confederation, 242. 



Assembly, first Colonial, 53. 
Atlanta, campaign against, 420. 

burned, 421. 
Augusta, Ga., 211. 

Bacon, Nathaniel, 109. 
Bacon's Rebellion, no, in. 
Bahamas, group, 13. 
Bainbridge, Captain, 266, 281. 
Balboa discovers Pacific, 18. 
Baltimore, Lord, 82, 83. 
Baltimore, size of, 241. 

attacked, 289. 
Bancroft, George, 496. 
Bank, the National, 319. 
Barbary States, 265. 
Battle of Alabama and Kearsage, 389. 

Antietam (Sharpsburg), 404. 

Atlanta, 420. 

Bennington, 207. 

Bon Homme Richard and Serapis, 231, 
232. 

Brandywine, 208. 

Bufina Vista, 340. 

Bunker Hill, 188. 

Camden, 215. 

Cerro Gordo, 341. 

Chancellorsville, 407. 

Chesapeake and Shannon, 283. 

Chickamauga, 416. 

Chippewa, 288. 

Cold Harbor, 423. 

Constitution and Guerriire, 279. 

Cowpens, 216. 

El Caney, 461. 

Fredericksburg, 404. 

Gettysburg, 409. 

Goldsboro, N.C., 422. 

Guilford Court House, 216. 

King's Mountain, 216. 

Lake Erie, 285. 

Lexington, 186. 

Long Island, 200. 

Lundy's Lane, 288. 

Manassas, first battle, 377. 
second battle, 404. 

Manila Bay, 460. 

Mexico City, around, 342. 

Monitor and Virginia, 391. 



533 



534 



Index 



Battle of Monmouth, 2io. 

New Orleans, 2go. 

Peninsula, in the, 394. 

Perry ville, 413. 

Petersburg, 425. 

Plattsburg Bay, 280, ago. 

Princeton, 203. 

Quebec, 151. 

Richmond, around, 396. 

San Jacinto, 334. 

San Juan, 461. 

Saratoga, 207. 

Sharpsburg, 404. 

Shiloh or Pittsburg Landing, 381, 382. 

Spottsylvania Court House, 423. 

Thames, 286. 

Tippecanoe, 277. 

Trenton, 203. 

Wilderness, in the, 422. 

Winchester, 424. 

Yorktown, 220. 
Battleship, cost of, 501. 
Beauregard, General, 374, 377. 
Bell, Alexander Graham, 472. 
Berkeley, Lord, 85. 
Berkeley, Sir William, 108-111. 
Bermuda Islands, 49. 
Biloxi, founded, 131. 
Birmingham, iron center, 485. 
Blackbeard, pirate, 165. 
Blockade established, 385. 

running of, 385. 
Blockhouses for protection, T14. 
Bombardment of Fort Sumter, 373-376. 
Bon Homme Richard, The, 231. 
Boone, Daniel, 233, 234. 
Boonesborough, 233, 234. 
Booth, John Wilkes, 428. 
Boston founded, 65. 

Massacre, 180. 

Tea Party, 182. 

port closed, 183. 

British leave, 191. 

fire in, 444. 
Boundary line between Md. and Penn., 93. 
Boweries, Dutch farms, 80. 
Boxer, uprising, 465. 
Braddock, Gen., 145, 146. 
Bradford, Gov. William, 58. 
Bragg, Gen. Braxton, 340, 413, 416, 418. 
Brandywine, battle of, 208. 
Brazil, visited by Vespucius, 17. 
Breckenridgc, John C., 359. 
Breed's Hill, 188. 
Bridge, East River, 468. 
Brown, John, raid of, 358, 359. 
Br>'an, W. J., candidate, 457, 490. 
Bryant, William C, 492. 
Buchanan, James, President, 357. 



Buena Vista, battle of, 340. 

Buffalo, passing of, 478. 

Buffalo robe, presented to Oglethorpe, 100. 

Burgoyne, surrender of, 206, 207. 

Bumside, Gen. A. E., 404. 

Burr, Aaron, 270. 

Cabin homes of the colonists, 154, 155. 
Cable, Atlantic, 467. 

others, 468. 
Cabot, John, voyage of, 15, 16. 
Cabot, Sebastian, voyage of, 16. 
Cairo merchants, 2. 
»Calhoun, John C, 328, 329, 330. 

death of, 352. 
CaUfornia, discovery of gold in, 345. 

applied for admission, 347. 

admitted, 352. 
Calvert, Cecil, 83. 
Calvert, George, 82. 
Calvert, Leonard, 83. 
Cambridge, 190. 
Camden, battle of, 215. 
Canal, Erie, 303. 

Panama, 488. 
Canary Islands, 11, 42. 
Canonicus and the arrows, 60. 

interview with Roger Williams, 116, 117 
Capital located, 253. 
Capitol burned, 291. 
Caravans, trade of, 2. 
Cards, cost of game, 205. 
Carolinas settled, 94. 

divided, 96. 
Carpet baggers, the, 441, 442. 
Carroll, Charles, of Carrollton, 197, 305. 
Carteret, PhiUp, 86. 
Carteret, Sir George, 85. 
Cartier, Jacques, voyage of, si- 
Carver, John, governor, 57. 
Cattle ranches, 479. 

for market, 479. 
Cavaliers in Virginia, 108. 
Centennial Exposition, 446. 
» Hymn, 457. 
Cerro Gordo, battle of, 341. 
Cervera, Admiral, 461. 

fleet destroyed, 462. 
Champlain, Lake, 33. 
Champlain, Samuel de, 33. 
Charles the Second, 94. 
Charleston, S.C., 95, 97. 

attacked by French, 137. 

attacked by British, 193. 

held by British, 211. 

railroad to, 306. 

Federal fleet at, 374. 

earthquake at, 454. 
Charlcstown, 65. 



Index 



535 



Charter for Virginia, 52. 
Charter Oak, 125. 
Chattanooga, battle around, 417. 
Cherokees in Georgia, 322. 
Chesapeake, The, 275, 283. 
Chicago in 1832, 312. 

destroyed by fire, 444. 

World's Fair at, 457. 

growth of, 473. 
China, uprising in, 465. 

trade of, 479. 
Chinese Exclusion Act, 453. 
Chippewa, battle of, 288. 
Christina, 87. 
Cincinnati, 270. 
Cities, size of, 241. 

customs in New York, 308. 

customs in Philadelphia, 308. 

present growth. Western, 473. 

present condition, 501. 
Civil Serxdce Reform Act, 450. 
Claibonie, a Virginian, 84. 
Claims of French, 133, 134. 
Clarendon, Earl of, 94. 

County of, 96. 
Clark, George Rogers, 234-237. 
Clark and Lewis explorations, 269. 
Clay, Henry, 299. 

duel with Randolph, 306. 

compromise with South Carolina, 330. 

compromise of 1850, 352. 
Clemens, Samuel, 495. 
Clermont, The, 272. 
Cleveland, Grover, President, 450. 

portrait of, 452. 

tariff message, 455. 

second term, 456. 
Clinton, De Witt, 304. 
Clinton, Sir Henry, 211. 
Clinton's Ditch, 304. 
Clothing of colonists, 158. 
Coal, for fuel, 309. 

fields in the South, 485. 
College, Harvard, 169. 

William and Mary, i6q. 
Colombia, treaty with, 489. 
Colony, The lost, 38-40. 
Colt, story of Washington, 140. 
Columbia, S.C., Sherman in, 421. 
Columbus, early life, of, 7-10. 

story of egg, 10. 

voyages of, 1 1-14. 

death of, 14. 
Commerce Commission, Interstate, 453. 
Compact in the Mayflower, 57. 
Compromise, Missouri, 298, 29g, 35s. 

with South Carolina, 320. 

of 1850, 352. 
Concord, 184. 



Confederate States organized, 362. 

names, 362, 377. 
Congress, The, 391. 
Congress, powers of, 247. 

Pan-American, 455. 

attitude toward South, 435. 
Constellation, The, 267. 
Constitution of United States, 245. 

analysis of,' 515. 
Constitution, The, 279. 
Converting the savages, 112, 113, 133. 
Copley, painter, 496. 
Comwallis takes command, 201. 

surrenders, 219. 
Coronado, 32 (footnote). 
Cost of the Civil War, 430. 

battleship, 501. 
Cotton, export in 1784, 255 (footnote). 

increase of, 257. 

is king, 365. 

crop, 481. 
Cotton gin, invention of, 255. 

model of, 256. 

effect on slavery, 257. 
Cotton mills, 484. 
Courts, Supreme and lower, 249. 
Cowpens, battle of, 216. 
Crawford, William H., 303. 
Criminals in colonies, 171. 
Croatan, word on tree, 40. 
Cuba, Columbus visits, 13. 

rebellion, 458. 

Republic, 465. 

government of, 465. 
Culpepper, Lord, 109. 
Cumberland, The, 391. 
Custer, massacre of, 447. 

Dacres, Captain, 282. 
Dale, Sir Thomas, governor, 52. 
Dare, Virginia, 39. 
Darien, Isthmus of, 18, 19. 
Darrah, Lydia, 209. 

Davis, Jefferson, President of the Confed- 
erate States, 362. 

life of, 370-373- 

farewell to Senate, 372. 

leaves Richmond, 425. 

capture of, 429. 
Davis, Sam, story of, 415. 
Debate, Webster and Hayne, 323. 
Debtors, imprisonment of, 99. 
Decatur, Lieut. Stephen, 267. 
Declaration of Independence, 195-198, 511. 
Deerfield, massacre, 136. 
De Gourges, 36, 37 (footnote). 
De Kalb, Baron, 205. 
Delaware Lord, arrives, 50. 
Delaware, settled, 85. 



53^ 



Index 



Delaware, three lower counties of, 87. 

early history of, 87. 
Delaware Indians, 91. 

treaty with Penn, gi. 
Delaware River, gi. 

Washington crosses, 203. 
Denver, growth of, 474. 
Deposits, removal of, 3ig. 
De Soto, march of, 30. 

burial, 31. 
Detroit, surrender of, 278. 
Dewey, Commodore George, 460. 
Diego, son of Columbus, g. 
Dinwiddle, Governor, 142. 
Discovery of land by Columbus, 12-13. 
Distress following Revolution, 241. 
District of Columbia, 260. 
Donelson, Fort, 380-381. 
Dorchester Heights, 191. 
Dorr's Rebellion, 335. 
Douglas, Stephen A., 355, 3sg, 368. 
Dove and Ark, vessels, 83. 
Drake, Sir Francis, 20, 38. 
DuQuesne, French governor, 141. 

Fort, 144, 147. 
Dustin, Hannah, story of, i3g. 
Dutch, war vessel with slaves, 53. 

settle New York, 77. 

life of, 79. 

holidays, 160. 
Duties on foreign goods, 252, 2g4. 

Eads jetties, 481. 

Early, General, 423. 

East River Bridge, 468. 

Ebenezer, town of, loi. 

Edison, Thomas A., 470, 471, 472. 

Eggleston, Edward, 495. 

El Caney, battle of, 461. 

Elcars, 472. 

Electoral Commission, the, 448. 

Electric lights, 472. 

Elegy in a Country Churchyard, 151. 

Elevators, grain, 478. 

Eliot, John, 113. 

Elizabeth, Queen, 38. 

Elizabethtown, N.J., 86. 

Emancipation Proclamation, 406. 

Embargo of 1807, 275. 

Emerson, R. W., 493. 

Endicott, John, 65. 

England, troubles with, 258, 274. 

Enterprises, great American, 467. 

Era of Good Feeling, 292. 

Ericsson, inventor, 470. 

Erie Canal, 303. 

Executive authority, 247. 

Expansion, Territorial, 467. 

Exposition, the Centennial, 446. 



Expositions, Louisiana purchase, 480. 

World's Fair, 457. 

New Orleans, 482. 

others, 482. 
Express companies, 336. 

Fairfax, Lord, 141. 

Farms, Western, 477. 

Farragut, Admiral, at New Orleans, 383. 

at Mobile Bay, 424. 
FederaHst Party, 250. 
Ferdinand and Isabella, 9. 
Field, Cyrus W., 467. 
Field, Eugene, 493. 
Fillmore, Millard, President, 348. 
Flag, 190. 

history of, 194. 

raised at sea, 230. 
Florida, naming of, 29. 

purchase of, 297. 
Flying machine, 162. 
Force bill, the, 329. 
Forest area of the South, 485. 
Forrest, Gen. Nathan B., 414 (footnote). 
"Forty-niners," the, 346. 
Fountain of Youth, search for, 297. 
France, trouble with, 238, 259. 
Franklin, Benjamin, proposes union, 145. 

life and character, 225-22g. 
Frauds, discovery of, 446. 
Fred erica in Georgia, loi. 
Freedmen's Bureau, 436, 441. 
Freedom, land of, 105, 106. 
French and Indian War, 144. 
French explore the Mississippi, 126. 

in America, 132. 

posts, 132. 

quarrel with English, 135. 

treaty with English, 152. 
Friends, Society of, 88. 
Frolic, The, 281. 
Frontenac, Count, 136. 
Fruit crop of the South, 484. 
Fugitive Slave Law, 351. 
Fulton, Robert, 271, 470. 
Fulton's Folly, 272. 
Fur trade, 132, 133. 

Gadsden Purchase, the, 342. 
Gage, General Thomas, 183. 
Garfield, James A., President, 449. 

assassinated, 449. 
Garrison, William Lloyd, 349, 350. 
Gas, for lighting, 310. 

natural, 485. 
Gates, Sir Thomas, 49. 
Gates, General, 207, 215. 
Genet, citizen, 253. 
George II, King, 99. 



Index 



537 



Georgia, settled, 99, 104. 

Spanish invasion, 102. 

overrun by British, 211. 

removal of Cherokees, 322. 

readmitted, 437. 
Gladstone, WilUam E., 245 (footnote). 
Gofie, Colonel, 121. 
Gold in California, 345. 
Goldsboro, N.C., 421. 
Goliad, Fort, 332. 
Gordon, John B., 387, 425. 
Grady, H. W., on the negro, 406 (note). 
Grand Model, 95. 
Grant, Gen. U. S., 341, 3S0, 414, 416. 

in Virginia, 422-425. 

at surrender, 426-428. 

made President, 444. 
Great Eastern, ship, 467. 
Greene, Gen. Nathaniel, 216. 
Greene, Mrs. Nathaniel, 255. 
Greenland, settlement of, 4. 
Guam, ceded to United States, 462. 

description of, 463. 
Guerriere, The, 279. 
Guilford Court House, battle of, 216. 

Hadley, town of, 121. 

Hague Tribunal, 465. 

Hail Columbia, song of, 259. 

Haiti, 13, 14. 

Hale, Captain Nathan, 200. 

Half-Moon, vessel, 73. 

Halifax, 191. 

Hamburg, S. C, 306. 

Hamilton, Alexander, 250, 252, 253. 

killed in duel, 270. 
Hamilton, Governor, at Vincennes, 237. 
Hampton Roads, 390. 
Hancock, John, 184, 187, 197. 
Hanging in Colonial times, 162. 
Hard Cider Campaign, 332. 
Harris, Joel C, 495. 
Harrison, Benjamin, President, 455. 
Harrison, Gen. W. H., 277. 

President, 331. 
Hart, Nancy, 214. 
Harte, Bret, 495. 
Hartford, settled, 72. 

Andros, at 124. 

Convention, 291. 
Harvard College, founded, 169. 
Harvesting machine, 336. 
Haverhill, Mass., 139. 
Hawaii, annexed, 462. 
Hawaiian Islands, 463. 
Hawthorne, Nathaniel, 495. 
Hayes, R. B., President, 447, 448. 
Hayne, Paul H., 493. 
Hayne, Robert Y., 324. 



Heights of Abraham, 150. 

Hendricks, Thomas A., 451. 

Henrietta Maria, 82. 

Henry, Fort, 380. 

Henry, Patrick, speech of, 178, 179. 

interview with Clark, 234. 
Hessians, hired, 195. 

captured, 203. 
Highlanders in Georgia, loi. 
Hill, Benjamin H., speech, 437 (note). 
Hobson, Lieut., exploit of, 461. 
Holland, Pilgrims in, 56. 
Holmes, Oliver W., 492. 
Homes of the colonists, 153. 
Homestead Act, 475. 
"Honest Abe," 267. 
Hood, Gen. J. B., 420. 
Hooker, Gen. Joseph, 404. 
Hooker, Thomas, 71. 
Howe, Elias, inventor, 470. 
Howe, Gen., igi, 199. 
Hudson, Henry, 73-76. 
Hudson Bay, discovered, 76. 
Hudson River, forts on, 199. 

British plans of, 206-209. 

Clermont on, 273. 
Huguenots, in Florida, 36. 

in Charleston, 98. 
Hull, Capt. Isaac, 279. 
Hull, Capt. John, 160. 
Hull, Gen. William, 278. 
Hunt, Abraham, 205. 
Hutchinson, Mrs. Anne, 70, 123. 

Iceland, settlement in, 4. 
Illinois, River, 129. 

admitted, 206. 
Impeachment of Johnson, 438. 
Impressing seamen, 275. 
Indented servants, 171. 
Independence Hall, 196. 
India, trade with, 2. 
Indiana admitted, 276. 
Indian neighbors, 112. 

fear of, 114. 

protection from, 114. 

Wars in New England, 115. 
Indians, named by Columbus, 13. 

origin, 21. 

appearance, clothing, etc., 22. 

tribes, wigwams, 23. 

skill in woodcraft, 24. 

story of, 25. 

warfare, 26. 

religion, treaties, 27. 

what they taught the white men, 112. 

praying Indians, 113. 

story of the clock, 134. 

removal from Georgia, 322. 



538 



Index 



Indians, in the West, 475. 
Inheritance laws, 263. 
Insurrection of slaves, 172. 
Internal improvements, 293, 303. 
Inter-State Commerce Commission, 45.5. 
Inventions, list of, 336. 

great American, 470. 
Ironclads, battle of, 390-392. 
Iron industry of South, 4S5. 
Iroquois, War, 35-36. 

treaty with, 145. 
Irrigation, picture of, 474. 
Irving, Washington, 491. 
Island possessions, 463. 

Jacksou, Andrew, at Horseshoe Bend, 287. 

at New Orleans, 290. 

candidate for President, 303. 

elected President, 314. 

early life of, 314, 315. 

as a soldier, 315. 

stories of, 317. 

spoils system, 318. 

bank policy, 319. 

nullification policy, 32S. 
Jackson, Gen. Stonewall, 341. 

at Manassas, 378. 

life of, 397-399- 
story of coolness, 399. 

death of, 407, 408. 
James II and William Penn, go. 
James River, named, 42. 
Jamestown, settled, 42. 

affairs in, 48. 

prosperity of, 50. 

burning of, 1 10. 

Exposition, 482. 
Jasper, Sergeant, 194. 
Java, The, 281. 
Jay, John, treaty of, 258. 
Jefferson, Thomas, 196. 

leader of parties, 250, 253. 

becomes President, 261. 

life and character, 261, 264. 

views on slavery, 299. 

death of, 310. 
Jerry, rescue of, 353. 
Jersey, East, 85. 

West, 85. 

Isle of, 85. 
Jews in Georgia, loi. 
Johnson, Andrew, President, 434. 

antagonizes Congress, 437, 438. 

impeachment of, 438. 
Johnston, Gen. A. S., 3-81, 382. 
Johnston, Gen. Joseph E., 377. 

in the peninsula, 394. 

in Western Army, 418. 

opposes Sherman, 420-422. 



Johnston, Gen. Joseph E., surrender, 428. 
Joliet, explorer, 126. 
Jones, John Paul, 230-232. 

story of Pearson, 232. 
Judicial Department, 2^9. 

Kansas, struggle for 354. 

"Bleeding," 356. 

War in, 356. 
Kansas-Nebraska Bill, 355. 
Kansas City, growth of, 473. 
Kaskaskia, capture of, 235. 
Kearsarge, The, 389. 
Kent Island, 84. 
Kentucky, 233. 

resolutions, 260. 

admitted, 269. 

invaded by Bragg, 413. 
Key, Francis S., 289. 
Kidd, Capt. William, pirate, 165. 
King George's War, 138. 
King Philip's War, 119. 
King William's War, 136. 
Know-Nothings, 354. 
Kosciusko, patriot, 205. 
Ku Klux Klan, 441. 

Labrador, Norsemen in, 5. 
Lafayette, Marquis de, 205. 

opposes Comwallis, 219. 

visits America, 302. 
Landing of the Pilgrims, 57. 
Lane, Gov. Ralph, 38. 
Lanier, Sidney, 493. 
La Salle, voyage of, 129-131. 
Lawrence, Captain, 283. 
Laws, oppressing debtors, 99. 

and early customs, 161. 

regulating manufactures, 175. 
Lawson, John, 96. 
Lee, Gen. Charles, 201, 202. 

at Monmouth, 210. 

court-martialed, 211. 
Lee, Gen. FitzHugh, 459. 
Lee, Richard Henn,', 195. 
Lee, Gen. Robert E., 341. 

captures John Brown, 359. 

succeeds Johnston, 395. 

life of, 400-402. 

Hill's eulog>' of, 403. 

in Virginia, 422-425. 

surrender, 426-428. 
Legislative department of U. S., 247. 
Legislature, the first, 53. 
Leif, the Norseman, 4. 
Leopard, The, 275. 
Lewis and Clark, expedition, 269. 
Lexington, battle of, 185-186. 
Liberator, The, 350. 



Index 



539 



Liberty bell, ig?. 
Liberty, spirit of, 223. 

religious, in Virginia, 263. 

Statue of, 453. 
Libraries, great, 497. 
Library, New York, public, 496. 
Lincoln, Abraham, President, 359, 360. 

life of, 366-369. 

Douglas debate, 368. 

inaugural address, 369. 

Gettysburg speech, 412. 

assassinated, 428. 

plans for reconstruction, 434. 
Lincoln, Gen. Benjamin, 220. 
Literature, American, 491. 
Livingston, Robert, 271. 
Locomotive, the, 305. 
Longfellow, H. W., 492. 
Longstreet, Gen., 410, 412. 
Louisiana, purchased, 268. 

admitted, 296. 
Lowell, James Russell, 493. 
Lundy's Lane, battle, 288. 

McClellan, Gen. George B., 341. 

commander-in-chief, 394. 
McCormick, Cyrus A., 336, 470. 
McDowell, Gen. Irv'in, 377. 
McKinley Bill, 456. 
McKinley, William, President, 457. 

re-elected, 466. 

assassinated, 466. 
Macedonian, The, 281. 
Machinery, farming, 477. 
MacMonnies, sculptor, 497. 
Madagascar, rice from, 98. 
Madison, James, President, 276. 
Magellan, Ferdinand, 19. 
Mail, 163, 313. 
Maine, settlement of, 68. 
Maitie, The, 458. 
Manhattan Indians, 74. 

Island, 74. 
Manila Bay, battle of, 460. 
Mansions, Virginia, 156. 
March to the Sea, 421. 
Marconi, inventor, 471. 
Marco Polo, traveler, 3. 
Marion, Francis, 212. 
Marquette, Father, 126-128. 
Maryland, founded, 82-84. 

Lee invades, 404. 
Mason and Dixon's Line, 93. 
Mason and Slidell, 386. 
Massachusetts, 123. 

Circular of, 180. 
Massachusetts Bay Company, 65. 
Massacre, at Jamestown, 54. 

Schenectady, 136. 



Massacre, Boston, 180. 

Fort Mims, 287. 

Custer, 447. 
Massasoit, Indian, 60, 118. 
Mather, Cotton, 67. 
Maury, Commodore, 467. 
Mayflower. The, 56. 
Meade, Gen. George B., 409. 
Meat, Western, 479. 
Mecklenburg Declaration, 198. 
Meeting houses, early, 166, 167. 
Menendez, Pedro, 36 (note). 
Merrimac, The, 390. 

sinking of, 461. 
Mexico, war with, 339-343. 
Mexico City, captured, 342. 
Michigan, Lake, 129. 
MiUtary rule in South, 437. 
Miller, Joaquin, 493. 
Milwaukee, growth of, 474. 
Mims, Fort, massacre, 287. 
Mine, at Petersburg, 423. 
Minuit, Peter, 87. 
Mississippi admitted, 296. 
Mississippi River, discovery of, 31. 

explored by French, 126. 

life along, 312. 

in control of Federals, 415. 
Missouri compromise, 296, 297. 

repealed, 355. 
Mohegan Indians, 117. 
Money question, 252. 

Continental, 241. 

Confederate, 432. 
Monitor and Virginia, 390. 
Monmouth, battle, 210. 
Monroe, James, President, 292. 
Monroe Doctrine, 300, 301. 
Montcalm, Marquis de, 150-152. 
Montgomery, Ala., 362. 
Montgomery, Gen., 191. 
Monticello, 264. 
Montreal, named, si- 

captured, 191. 
Morgan, John B., raid, 408. 
Mormons in Utah, 344. 
Morris, Robert, 204. 
Morse, S. F. B., 337, 470. 
"Mother of Presidents," 292. 
Motley, John, 496. 
Moultrie, Fort, 193, 194. 
Mounds, Indian, 23. 
Mt. Vernon, 222, 254. 
Mystic River, 117. 

Nap)oleon Bonaparte, makes peace, 259. 
sells Louisiana, 268. 
forbids American trade, 274. 
promises protection, 276. 



540 



Ind 



ex 



Narragansett Indians, 117. 

begin war, 119. 
Navigation Acts, 174. 
Navy, beginning of, 267. 

in War of 181 2, 279, 285. 

present size, 501. 

voyage of, 502. 
Necessity, Fort, 144. 
Negroes, sold in Jamestown, 53. 

during Civil War, 406. 

after the war, 440. 

of the present day, 442. 

legislature of, 443. 

number in South, 481. 
Nelson's, Governor, house, 223. 
New Amsterdam, named, 77. 

name changed, 81. 
New England, coasts explored, 48. 

Pilgrims settle in, 55. 

other colonics of, 68 

Indian wars in, 115. 

homes of people, 156. 

industries in, 158. 

in War of 181 2, 291. 

tariff dispute, 324. 

secession threats, 363. 
New France, named, ^s- 
New Hampshire, settled, 68, 104. 
New Jersey, settled, 85, 104. 

retreat across, 201. 
New Netherlands, named, 78. 
New Orleans, founded, 131. 

appearance of, 1719, 130. 

purchased from French, 268. 

captured by Farragut, 383. 

great cotton port, 481. 

Eads jetties at, 481. 
Newport, settled, 71. 

stone tower at, 6. 
Newspapers, early, 170. 
New York, Hudson's voyage, 73. 

English take possession, 80. 

name given, 81. 

industries in, 158. 

British enter, 200. 

Washington watching, 211. ■ 
New York City, size of, 241. 

the first capital, 251. 

customs in, 308. 

view of, 500. 

size of, 501. 
Niagara Falls, La Salle at, 129. 

power of, 468. 
Nicaragua, canal route, 488. 
Non-Intercourse Act, 276. 
Norsemen, coming of, 4. 
North, on tariff, 323. 

abolishing slaverj', 348. 

underground railway, 353. 



North, comparison with South, 364. 
North Carolina, settled, 96, 104. 

life of people, 97. 
Northwest Territory, saved for Union, 233. 

a common property, 244. 

organized and ordinance of, 244. 
Nullification in South Carolina, 324. 

ordinance of, 328. 

Occupations of colonists, 157. 
Ogden, Utah, 475. 
Oglethorpe, James Edward, 99. 

last days of, 102. 
O'Hara, General, 220. 
Ohio, admitted, 296. 
Ohio Company, formed, 141. 
Ohio River, 311. 
Oil wells, 468. 

production in South, 485. 
Oklahoma, opening of, 476. 
Old Ironsides, 279. 
Old South Meeting House, 167. 
Opportunity, a land of, 106. 
Orange, Fort, 78. 
Ordinance, of 1787, 244. 

of Nullification, 328. 

of Secession, South Carolina, 362. 
Oregon, voyage of, 460. 
Oregor) territory, 339. 
Original thirteen colonies, 103. 
Osceola, Indian, 321. 
Otis, James, speech of, 176. 

Pacific Ocean, discoverj' of, 18. 

voyage of Magellan over, 19. 
Pacific railroads, 474. 
Page, Thomas Nelson, 495. 
Palos, Spain, 11. 
Panama Canal, 488. 

treaty, 489. 
Pan-American Congress, 455. 
Panic, of 1837, 320. 

of 1873, 445. 
Paper currency, 241. 
Parker, Capt. John, 185. 
Parkman, Francis, 496. 
Patent Office, 470. 

picture of, 471. 
Patroons, Dutch, 78, 79. 
Peabody, George, 483. 
Peace Conference, of 1861, 374. 

at The Hague, 465. 
Pearson, Captain, 232. 
Pemberton, Gen., 414. 
Peninsular Campaign, 394-396. 
Penn, William, purchases Jersey, 86. 

acquires Delaware, 87. 

early life of, 89. 

acquires Pennsylvania, 90, 



Index 



541 



Penn, William, story of King James, 90. 

later life, gi. 
Pemisylvania, named, go. 

settled, 91, 104. 

Lee invades, 409. 

strikes in, 449, 487. 
Pequot, Indians, 115. 

War, 117, 118. 
Perry, Oliver H., 283, 285. 
Personal liberty laws, 352. 
Pet banks, 320. 
Petersburg, mine at, 423. 

lines around, 425. 
Philadelphia, The, 267. 
Philadelphia, founded, 91. 

Continental Congress at, 184. 

Independence Hall at, ig6. 

captured by British, 208. 

Franklin's arrival at, 229. 

size of, 241. 

Constitutional Convention at, 246. 

customs of, 308. 

exposition at, 446. 
Philip, Kmg, 118. 

death of, 121. 
Philippine Islands, Magellan at, 20. 

ceded to United States, 462. 

description of, 463. 

war in, 464. 

government of, 464. 
Pickett's charge, 410. 
Pierce, Franklin, President, 355. 
Pilgrims in Holland, 56. 

landing of, 57. 

settle New England, 55. 
Pillory and stocks, 162. 
Pinckney, Charles C, 259. 
Pioneers, French, 133. 

homes of, 153. 
Pirates, of Atlantic, 165. 

of Barbary States, 265. 
Pitcaim, Major, 185. 
Pitcher, Molly, 214. 
Pitt, Fort, 147. 
Pitt, William, 150. 
Pittsburgh, 147. 

rioters in, 449. 
Plains of Abraham, 150. 
Plan of war, Northern, 380. 
Planters of Virginia, 156. 
Plattsburg Bay, battle, 290. 
Pleasures of colonists, 160. 
Plymouth, founded, 57. 
Plymouth Company, 42. 

name changed, 65. 
Pocahontas saves John Smith, 46. 

marries John Rolfe, 47. 

death of, 47. 
Poe, Edgar Allan, 493. 



Political parties, first, 250. 

Democratic, 317. 

Whig, 317, 332. 

Free Soil, 354. 

American, 354. 

Republican, 357. 
Polk, James K., President, i^i^. 
Ponce de Leon, 2g. 
Pony express, 474. 
Poor Richard's Almanac, 225. 
Pope, Gen. John, 403. 
Population, cities, 241. 

growth of, 4g8. 

center of, 498. 

urban and rural, 501. 
Port Hudson, 413, 415. 
Porto Rico, de Leon at, 29. 

ceded to United States, 462. 

description of, 463. 
Portsmouth, settled, 71. 

treaty of, 488. 
Postage, 313. 

stamps first used, 336. 

reduced to two cents, 451. 
Post offices, 227, 313. 
Potato, cultivation of, 39. 
Powers, Hiram, 497. 
Powhatan, Indian Chief, 40, 47. 

country of, 49. 

death of, 53. 
Prescott, Wilham H., 496. 
President of the United States, 247. 
Presidential succession, 452. 
Presidents, facts concerning, 509. 
Princeton, victory at, 204. 
Prisoners, exchange of, 433. 
Privateers, War of 1812, 285. 
Privations and hardships of Civil War, 430. 
Productions of the United States, 499. 
Protective tariff, 2g4, 295. 
Providence settled, 70. 
Pueblo Indians and villages, 23. 
Pulaski, Count, 205. 
Puritans in England, 65. 

life in America, 67. 
Putnam, Gen. Israel, 187, 199. 

escapes British, 224. 

Quakers, customs of, 88, 8g. 
Quarrels, French and English, 135. 
Quebec, founded, a. 

colony of, 35. 

militar>' post, 134. 

fall of, 149-152. 

stormed by Americans, 192. 
Queen Anne's War, 136. 
Queen Elizabeth, 38. 

Virginia named for, 38. 

Raleigh attached to, 41. 



542 



Index 



Questions, see close of each lesson, 
search, 505. 
recreation, 507. 

Railroads, beginning of, 305, ,so6. 

Pacific, 474. 

present length of, 500. 
Raleigh, Sir Walter, 38. 

founds colony, 38. 

story of cloak, 41 . 
Rail, General, 205. 
Ranches, Western, 479. 
Randall, James R., 493. 
Randolph, John, 306, 307. 
Raritan Indians, 74. 
Rebecca, name of Pocahontas, 47. 
Reciprocity Agreement, 456. 
Reconstruction, plans for, 434. 
Reed, General, story of, 202. 
Religion of Indians, 27. 
Religious freedom, 56, 105. 
Removal of deposits, 319. 
Rescue of slaves, 353. 

of Jerry, 353. 
Reservation, Indians on, 476. 
Results of Revolution, 222. 

of Civil War, 429. 

of Spanish War, 462. 
Revenue, tariff, 294. 
Revere, Paul, 185. 

Review questions, 107, 239, 361, 503. 
Revolution, causes of, 174. 
Rhode Island, settled, 71. 
Rice introduced, 98. 
Richmond, Va., capital, 362. 

on to, 377- 

McClellan near, 394. 

evacuated, 425. 
Riley, James W., 493. 
Road, national, 305. 
Roanoke, colony of, 38. 
Rochambeau, Count, 220. 
"Rock of Chickamauga," 416. 
Rocky Mountains, boundary, 131. 

crossing of, 344. 
Rolfe, John, marriage of, 47. 

plants tobacco, 50. 
Roman Catholics, 82. 
Roosevelt, Theodore, 461, 462. 

elected President, 486. 
Rosecrans, General, 414. 
Ross, Elizabeth, 194. 
Rough Riders, 461. 
Russian demands of territory, 301. 
Ryan, Father, 493. 

St. Augustine, founded, 32. 

attacked by Oglethorpe, 102. 
St. Gaudens, 497. 



St. Lawrence, Gulf of, 36. 

Cartier in, i^. 
St. Louis Exposition, 480. 
Sagas, Norse, 6. 
Salem, founded, 65. 

witchcraft in, 164. 
Salzburghers, the, loi. 
Samoan Islands, pKJSsessions in, 463. 
Samoset, 59. 
Sampson, Captain, 459. 
San Francisco, Drake at, 20. 

beginning of, 347. 

growth of, 474. 

earthquake in, 474. 
San Jacinto, battle of, 334. 
San Juan, battle, 461. 
San Salvador, island of, 13. 
Sandy Hook, Hudson passes, 73. 
Santa Anna, General, 332, S3i- 
Santa Fe, founded, 32. 
Santiago de Cuba, blockaded, 461. 

surrendered, 462. 
Saratoga, battle, 207. 
Savannah, The, crosses ocean, 273. 
Savannah, founded, 99. 

British in, 211. 

captured by Sherman, 421. 
Schenectady, massacre at, 136. 
Schley, Commodore, 459. 
Schoolhouses and teachers, 169. 
Schuyler, (jeneral, 206. 
Scott, Gen. Winfield, 341. 

opinion of Lee, 401. 
Sea of Darkness, 1. 
Secession, doctrine of, 363. 

opinions regarding, 363. 

settled by war, 429. 
Second war with England, 278. 
Sedition laws, 259. 
Seminole Indians, 321. 
Senators and representatives, 247. 
Serapis, The, 231. 
Servants and slaves, 171. 
Settlements in New England, 69. 
Settlers' cabins, 311. 
Seven cities of Cibola, 32 (note). 
Seven Years' War, 149. 
Sewall, Samuel, 160. 
Seward, WiUiam H., 352. 
Shafter, Maj.-Gen. W. R., 461. 
Shannon, The, 283. 
Shays's Rebellion, 243. 
Sheridan, General, 424. 
Sherman, Gen. W. T., at Shiloh, 381. 

at X'icksburg, 414. 

at Chattanooga, 416. 

march through the South, 420-422. 
Sims, William Gilmore, 495. 
Sing Sing Indians, 74. 



Index 



543 



Slater, John F., 483. 
Slaveholding, disputes of, 351. 
Slavery, introduced, 53. 

in colonies, 171, 172. 

in Northwest Territory, 244. 

effect of cotton gin on, 257. 

question of, 348. 

disputes over, in territories, 351. 

South's attitude toward, 363. 

Lincoln's attitude, 364. 

settlement of, 429. 
Slave trade, 172, 348. 

forbidden by Constitution, 348. 

in District of Columbia, 351. 
Smith, Capt. John, 43. 

character of, 44. 

life saved, 46. 

last days of, 47. 
Snake skin, sent to Canonicus, 60. 
South, industries in, 158. 

in Revolution, 210. 

in 1862, 364. 

sufferings in, 431. 

condition after the war, 440. 

troops withdrawn from, 448. 

growth of, 481. 

industries of, 484. 
South Carolina, founded, gy. 

message to Boston, 183 (note). 

overrun by British, 211. 

nullification in, 328. 

secession of, 362. 

negro legislature, 443. 
Southern states secede, 362 

reconstruction of, 434. 

readmitted, 437, 438. 
Spain, Columbus goes to, g. 

sells western possession, 268. 

trouble with colonies, 300. 

cedes Florida, 297. 

war with, 458, 459. 

treaty with, 462. 
Spaniards in Florida, 29. 

murder the Huguenots, 36. 

invade Georgia, loi. 
Specie payment resumed, 446. 
"Spoils System," the, 318. 
Sports of colonists, 159. 
Squanto, Indian, 59, 62. 
Squatter sorereignty, 355. 
Stage coach, travel by, 162, 312. 
Stamp Act, 178, 179. 
Standard time adopted, 45 1 . 
Standish, Capt. Miles, 60-63. 
Stanton, Secretary, 438. 
Star-spangled Banner, song, 289. 
Starving time, the, 48, 49. 
States, list ot, 510. 

dates of admission, 510. 



States, area of, 510. 

population of, 510. 
States' Rights Doctrine, 263. 
Statue of Liberty, 453. 
Steamboat invented, 271-274. 
Steel and iron construction, 468. 
Stephenson, George, 305. 
Steuben, Baron, 205. 
Stillwater, battle, 207. 
Stocks and pillory, 162. 
Story, sculptor, 497. 
Stowe, Mrs. H. B., 353. 
Strikes, raUrpads, 449. 

miners', 487. 
Stuart, Gen. J. E. B., 39(). 
Stuart, Gilbert, 497. 
Stuyvesant, Peter, 78, 80, 81, 87. 
Suffering in Civil War, 43 1 . 
Sullivan's Island, fort on, 193. 
Sumter, Fort, bombarded, 373-376. 
Sumter, Gen. Thomas, 212. 
Sunday in the colonies, 166, 168. 
Surrender, of Comwallis, 220. 

of New Orleans, 384. 

of Vicksburg, 415. 

of Lee, 426-428. 
Sutter, Captain, 345. 
Swedes in Jersey, 87. 

Taft, William H., President, 490. 
Tariff, disputes over, 294, 323, 324. 

revision of, 455. 

McKinley Bill, 456. 
Tax on tea, 179, 180. 
Taxation without representation, 177. 
Taxes, oppressive, 175. 
Taylor, Gen. Zachary, 339. 

at Buena Vista, 340. 

story of, 343. 

President, 348. 
Tea party at Boston, 182. 

elsewhere, 182. 
Tecumseh, Indian, 277. 

at Thames battle, 286. 

story of, 287. 
Telegraph, electric, 337, 338. 

wireless, 471 (note). 
Telephone, invention of, 472. 
Tennessee, admitted, 270. 

readmitted, 436. • 
Texas, revolts, 332. 

adniitted, 334. 

size of, 334- 
Thames, battle of, 286, 
Thanksgiving, the first, 64. 
Thirteen original States, 103, 104. 

adopt Constitution, 246 (note). 
Thomas, General, 416. 
Ticondcruga, Furt, 189, 206. 



544 



Ind 



ex 



Tilden, Samuel J., 447. 
Timrod, Henry, 493. 
Tippeainoe, battle of, 277. 

and Tyler too, 331. 
Tobacco, Raleigh's use of, 39. 

planting, 50. 

paid for wives, 51. 
Tomochichi, Indian chief, 100. 
Topical Analysis, 107, 239, 361, 503. 
Tories, 191. 

Toscanelli, chart of, 12. 
Travel, discomforts, 162, 163. 

stage coaches, 163, 312. 
Treaty, Penn's, 91. 

Oglethorpe's, 100. 

with French, 152. 

of Paris, 222. 

of Ghent, 290. 

with Mexico, 342. 

with Spain, 462. 

of Portsmouth, 488. 

with Panama, 489. 
Trent affair, the, 386, 388. 
Trenton, battle of, 203. 
Tribes, early Indian, 23. 
Tribute, "not one cent for," 259. 

to pirates, 265. 
Trinidad, island of, 14. 
Tripoli, war with, 265. 
Tropics, burning, 3. 
Troup, Governor of Georgia, 322. 
Tulane, Paul, founds university, 483. 
Tuscaroras, Indians, 96. 
Tyler, John, President, 331. 

Uncle Sam, origin of, 291. 
" Uncle Tom's Cabin," 353. 
Underground railway, 353. 
Union, Franklin's plan, 145, 227. 

reasons for, 247. 
United States, The, 281. 

Valladolid, Spain, 14. 
Valley Campaign, Jackson's, 395. 
'Valley F"orge, sufferings at, 209. 
Van Buren, Martin, President, 331. 
Vanderbilt University, 483. 
Vera Cruz, landing at, 341. 
Vermont, admitted, 269. 
Verrazano, voyage of, 33. 
Vespucius, Americus, 16, 17. 
Vessels of Columbus, 1 1 . 
Veto, power of President, 247. 

Johnson's use of, 437. 
Vice-Presidents, list of, 509. 
Vicksburg, 382. 

siege and fall of, 413-415. 
Vincennes, capture of, 236, 237. 
Vinland, naming of, 5. 



Virginia, named, 38. 

settled, 41. 

affairs in, 52. 

progress of, 108. 

royal province, 108. 

size of, 153. 

Mother of Presidents, 292. 
Virginia and Kentucky resolutions, 260. 
Virginia and Monitor, 390. 
Voyages of Columbus, 11-14. 

of Magellan, 20. 

of Marquette and Joliet, 126. 

of La Salle, 129. 

of Savannah, 273. 

of Oregon, 460. 

of battleships, 502. 

Wadsworth, Captain, 125. 
Wake Island, 463. 
Wall Street, named, 81. 
War, Pequot, 117. 

King Philip's, 119. 

King WiUiam's, 136. 

Queen Anne's, 136. 

King George's, 138. 

French and Indian, 144. 

Seven Years', 149. 

Revolution, 174—238. 

with France, 259. 

with Tripoli, 265. 

of 1812, 278—291. 

with Mexico, 339-343. 

Kansas, 356. 

Civil War, 362-433. 

with Spain, 458-463. 

Russia-Japan, 488. 
Warfare, Indian, 26. 
Washington, George, early life, 140. 

message to French, 142. 

bravery of, 146. 

modesty of, 148. 

commander-in-chief, 187. 

takes command, 190. 

crosses the Delaware, 203. 

af Valley Forge, 209. 

at Yorktown, 220. 

picture of, 240. 

becomes President, 250. 

death of, 254. 
Washington (City), becomes capital, 253, 
260. 

captured by British, 288. 

retreat to, 378, 379. 
Wasp, The, 281. 

Wealth of the United States, 499. 
Webster, Daniel, at Bunker Hill, 189. 

remarks on Hamilton, 252. 

oration on Adams and Jefferson, 310. 

Whig leader, 317. 



Ind 



ex 



545 



Webster, Daniel, reply to Hayne, 325, 326. 

speech of 1850, 352. 

death of, 354. 
Wesley, John and Charles, loi. 
West, growth of, 473. 

industries of, 477. 
West, Benjamin, 4g6. 
West India Company, Dutch, 78. 
West Point, betrayal of, 217. 
Westmoreland County, 140. 
Westward movement, 311. 
Weyler, Spanish general, 458. 
Wheat fields, western, 477. 
Wheeler, Gen. Joseph, 459. 
Whisky, effect on Indians, 76. 
Whisky Ring, frauds of, 445. 
White House, the, 248. 
White, John, Governor, 39. 
Whitefield, George, loi. 
Whitman, Walt, 493. 
Whitney, Eli, 255, 470. 
Whittier, John G., 492. 
William Henry, Fort, 146. 
William and Mary College, 169. 
Williams, Roger, 70. 



Williams, Roger, pacifies Canonicus, 117. 
Williamsburg, capital, 11 1. 
Wilmot, David, 342. 

proviso, 342. 
Wilson bill, 456. 
Wilson, Woodrow, 491. 
Winthrop, Gov. John, 65, 66. 

stories of, 67. 
Wisconsin River, 127. 
Witchcraft, Salem, 164, 165. 
Wives for the colonists, 51. 
Wolfe, Gen. James, 150-152. 
Women, patriotic; Hannah Dustin, 139. 

Lydia Darrah, 209. 

Nancy Hart, 214. 

Molly Pitcher, 214. 

in Civil War, 432. 
Woodrangers, French, 133. 
World's Fair at Chicago, 457. 
Writs of Assistance, 176. 

X. Y. Z. affair, 259. 

York, Duke of, 85. 
Yorktown, surrender at, 219. 



FIRST LESSONS IN 
AMERICAN HISTORY 

By LAWTON B. EVANS. A.M. 

SUPT. SCHOOLS, AUGUSTA. GA.. AUTHOR OF 
"THE ESSENTIAL FACTS OF AMERICAN HISTORY" 

THIS book is designed for younger students. 
It is written in a dramatic and interesting 
style, and is handsomely illustrated with a 
large number of pictures especially prepared by 
skilled artists. 

^ The story is divided into short lessons, each 
covering an event in which the child wall take 
exceeding interest. Many of the chapters deal wnith 
heroes and heroin incidents, especially those connected 
with our early history. 

^ All dull detail of unimportant facts and dates is 
omitted, in order that the pupil may enjoy without 
interruption the picturesque story of the men who made 
the nation. It is believed by the author and by the 
publishers that those who will teach and those who 
will study this book will find an ever increasing 
pleasure and inspiration in their country's history. 

BENJ. H. SANBORN & COMPANY 

BOSTON NEW YORK CHICAGO 



LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 



011 447 763 1 















